MUMBAI: Yuvraj Singh appears to have found his voice post retirement now that he is free of the long (and vindictive) arm of the BCCI. The champion soutpaw has now championed the need to institute a players’ association to protect the interests of Indian cricketers.
Citing the example of Glenn Maxwell, who recently went on a cricketing sabbatical owing to mental health reasons, Yuvraj said Indian cricketers, too, needed a committee to listen to their personal grievances and help fight professional insecurities.
No prizes for guessing that unlike some cheerleaders in the domestic media, Yuvraj has given short shrift to the recently launched and BCCI-sanctioned Indian Cricketers’ Association (ICA).
“We see outside India if the players are fatigued and tired mentally, like is the case with Maxwell, he has taken a break because he is feeling it. Our players can’t do that because they fear they may lose their place,” Yuvraj told PTI. “What I would like to see is a players’ association coming up because I think the player’s voice was never heard before. So I think a players’ association that all other countries have, we should also have.”
Yuvraj opined such a body could help ease pressure on the Indian players, who he believes are overworked. “We deserve it [players’ association] because there are a lot of times we have been asked to play cricket that we don’t want to. We have to play with the pressure that if we don’t play we will be thrown out,” Yuvraj said.
“That pressure has to go off the players that even if they are tired or fatigued or carrying injuries, they have to play. That support should be given to the players. The current players need more [support]. Somebody has to stand up and give them the players association. I don’t know who’s going to do that, but definitely that’s something I would like to see happening for the players. Every voice should be heard in players’ association, not only captain or vice-captain or senior players. Every player should be asked about their opinions.”
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