Yograj Singh Anushka Sharma Virat Kohli. Image Credits: AFP/Open Source
Yograj Singh has long carried a reputation for speaking with an unfiltered bluntness, one that often blurs the line between sharp honesty and needless provocation. At times, that same tendency has seen him take a swing at people’s personal lives.
Quite recently, the former Indian cricketer found himself in fresh trouble after making a highly sexist remark. During a recent interaction, the 68-year-old pinned a direct blame on the wives and children for cricketers taking early retirement these days.
Yograj Singh blames cricketer’s wives in highly sexist remark
While speaking with InsideSport, Yograj Singh claimed that wives and children are the main reason behind cricketers taking early retirements from their professional careers these days.
Father of champion Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and a former cricketer himself, Yograj added that women should not ask their cricketer husbands to look after their family and kids.
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He said “You know what happens: your ladies of the house, your wives, they start coaching you, telling you it’s time to retire, time to look after the family, the kids. So I believe women should not come in between the legendary prospect of an athlete, fakir aur player yeh dono ka koi dharam nahi hai, warg nahi hai (Noble men and players don't have any religion), they belong to God. As long as they live, they can do a lot of things.”
Yograj also blames ‘funny age factor’ for forced retirements
Speaking further on player’s retirements, Yograj Singh also added that ‘age factor’ is a “really funny” concept in India. Citing the example of India’s modern-day greats Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Yograj stated that while the two legendary batters want to quit, they should instead be proving to the world that they are the best.
According to him, age should not matter if a player is playing well and is maintaining peak fitness. Yograj said “Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are young cricketers, and they want to quit. Laanat hai zindagi bhar. Make the world realise that you are the best, that you are indispensable. Even if you are fifty years old and still scoring a double hundred, no one will drop you. The age factor in this country is really funny.”
Yograj Singh also praised former Indian captain MS Dhoni, and urged the legendary wicketkeeper-batter to keep on playing for the CSK franchise in the IPL. He believes that 44-year-old Dhoni has the ability to play even for the next 10 years, considering he has already proven his fitness.
Yograj said “MS Dhoni is still playing and should keep on doing so for the next 10 years. Because he has proved his fitness with the right discipline and dedication. I still see his forearm, amazing man. Who the hell are people to tell him to retire? No. As far as cricket is concerned, hats off to him.”
Yograj Singh’s comments raise serious sexist and retirement questions
Yograj Singh’s recent remarks not only cast a controversial spotlight on the role of players’ families, but also bring into question the underlying biases shaping his views on modern-day retirements.
A former cricketer himself, Yograj has often been criticised for behaving like a bit of a hard taskmaster. His son and India’s multi-World Cup winning all-rounder Yuvraj Singh have also addressed the issue and spoken against his father’s behaviour in the past.
Taken together, his latest remarks only add to a growing pattern of rhetoric that continues to blur the line between personal conviction and contentious commentary.
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