Uthappa holds Kohli indirectly responsible for cutting short Yuvraj's career

Yuvraj Singh's comeback after cancer was cut short by Virat Kohli, says Robin Uthappa in revealing interview.

Former batter Robin Uthappa has held Virat Kohli indirectly responsible for cutting short Yuvraj Singh's international career after he beat cancer to return to the team, saying the flamboyant all-rounder's request for certain fitness concessions was denied by the then-India captain.

One of India's finest players in white-ball cricket, Yuvraj was one of the big reasons for the team's twin World Cup success under MS Dhoni's leadership, but after the title triumph in the 2011 ODI showpiece, he was diagnosed with cancer and was promptly treated for the same in the US.

Yuvraj then made a remarkable recovery to fight his way back into the Indian team and also scored a hundred against England in an ODI, but after a quiet outing in the Champions Trophy in 2017, he was ignored and decided to retire from the game in 2019.

Telling the story as he saw it, Uthappa said during an interview on 'Lallantop', "Take Yuvi Pa's instance. The man beat cancer, and he is trying to come back into the international side. He is the man who won us a World Cup, won us two World Cups for that matter, along with the other players, but played an integral role in helping us win.

"Then for such a player, when you become captain, you say his lung capacity has diminished and you have been with him when you have seen him struggle. Nobody has told me this, I observe things."

Uthappa added, "You have seen him struggle, then when you are captain, yes you have to maintain a level of standard, but there are always exceptions to the rule. Here is a man who deserves to be an exception because he is not just beaten and won you tournaments, but he has beaten cancer.

"He has beaten the hardest challenge in life in that sense. Some question room for someone like that."