London, Jul 13 (PTI) Yuvraj Singh has come up with a fitting analogy to describe the evolution of fearless Indian batters, likening himself, Abhishek Sharma and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to different versions of the iconic Hollywood franchise ‘Terminator’, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The former India all-rounder, who has mentored Abhishek over the years, believes the 15-year-old Sooryavanshi represents the next stage in the progression of attacking batting and said he would be delighted to work with the youngster in the future.
Speaking to JioHotstar, Yuvraj said, “I always call myself a Terminator. Now there is Terminator 4, Abhishek Sharma, who is four times better than me. And after him comes Terminator 6, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has evolved even more.
“I did my part in my time, Abhishek elevated it, and now Vaibhav is setting new standards. This is the third phase of the same journey. It is great to see the sport evolving,” said Yuvraj, who watched the Wimbledon men’s singles final alongside Abhishek and Sooryavanshi.
“When I watch (Jannik) Sinner and (Carlos) Alcaraz, I see how tennis is changing. I see the same evolution in Abhishek and Vaibhav. I have spent a lot of time training Abhishek, and I would love to spend time with Vaibhav as well. He has a great career ahead of him. He is a serious player in the making, and I believe he will get there.” The batting prodigy, on his part, said the interaction with Yuvraj gave him valuable lessons that extended beyond technique.
“Yuvi Paaji is my idol too. Meeting him for the first time was a special moment. I got to spend time with him and he shared a lot of insights about the game.
“He spoke about the mental side of the game, how to handle pressure, and the importance of believing in yourself. It feels great to have so much to learn from someone like him. I am sure it will help me a lot in my career going forward,” Sooryavanshi said.
Abhishek, who has flourished under Yuvraj’s mentorship, said he could relate to the teenager’s emotions.
“I can feel what Vaibhav is feeling right now because Yuvi Paaji is my idol as well. I remember when I first met him, it was kind of the same feeling that he’s feeling right now.
“So obviously, watching my first Wimbledon, and that too the finals, with Yuvi Paaji and Vaibhav, it’s a special day for me,” Abhishek said. PTI KHS PM KHS PM PM
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