Former Indian international cricketer Yuvraj Singh is a busy man. From working on his cancer charity YouWeCan to mentoring young kids from his home state, Punjab, besides travelling the world to play golf, he has a lot on his plate. “I am also taking care of my two kids Aura and Orion. It’s a lot of hard work (smiles). I also enjoy doing humanitarian work,” he shares.
The all-rounder was recently in Delhi for the inauguration of Swiss watchmaker Franck Muller’s exclusive boutique at DLF Emporio, in partnership with Kapoor Watch Company. A self-confessed watch geek, Yuvraj says he looks for “complications” in his timepieces. “The more the complications, the classier a watch is. The history of the piece is equally important. When you’re young, you don’t have the money to buy a luxury watch. But as you grow in life, your taste becomes more refined and there are certain things that you want but aren’t easy to buy,” he laughs.
Yuvraj Singh sporting The Franck Muller Vanguard Yachting Watch
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He adds, “I have always been an admirer of good watches. Interestingly, my first luxury watch was a gifted Franck Muller. Today, I am wearing a Yachting from the brand.”
As someone who values time, especially being a cancer survivor, he believes early detection is key in such patients. Thus, YouWeCan, in partnership with Xiaomi has launched a breast surveillance programme, aiming to screen 1.5 lakh women for breast cancer across 15 states over a year. “We also work with children who are below the poverty line. Many parents have spent all their savings to get treatment for their kids. We offer scholarships to these children, helping them go back to school. We have also treated over 100 children for cancer,” he informs.
Yuvraj is also trying his hand at a biopic that will chronicle his life.
“I have been trying to put it together for six years. We are working on scripting, finalising the director and the cast,” says Yuvraj, adding that it should probably be out in the next two to three years.
While he may not be a full-time cricketer today, his heart lies in the game. On being asked about the biggest milestone in his career, he is quick to respond, “Definitely winning the 2011 World Cup. We won after 28 years and it was very special because it was on home ground. Plus, it was in Mumbai, Sachin Tendulkar’s turf. It was probably the most amazing moment in my career.”
Does he see potential in any of Team India’s young cricketers? “I have been mentoring a few. A couple of years ago, I worked with Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma. Gill is the vice-captain while Sharma recently scored his first century in T20I, so he’s on the right path. I want to see these two helping India win the World Cup, along with Suryakumar (Yadav), the captain who is a seasoned campaigner,” he says, adding, “Hopefully, they can build a team that can go and lift the next World Cup,” concludes Yuvraj.
Published – September 18, 2024 05:17 pm IST