Sachin Tendulkar has said he was scared of breaking down in front of Yuvraj Singh when he met the latter in London after his treatment in the United States for a rare germ cell cancer. Tendulkar was speaking in Delhi at the release of Yuvraj's book The Test of My Life: From Cricket to Cancer and Back, published by Random House India.
"When I went to meet him in London, I was telling my wife that I don't want to break down when I see him," Tendulkar said. "I met him and gave him a tight hug. We enjoyed a meal and from the way he ate, I was convinced that he was back on track.
"When I saw my wife discussing medical terms with Yuvraj, I realised what he had been going through," Tendulkar said. "He is like my younger brother and I would ask God why it (the illness) had to happen to Yuvraj."
Yuvraj recollected his first meeting with Tendulkar. "My first conversation was when I was looking at him in awe at the dressing room when suddenly he said 'please pass on the biscuits'," Yuvraj said. To this Tendulkar replied, "I have not got those biscuits till now."
Apart from Tendulkar, India captain MS Dhoni also spoke about Yuvraj's fight with cancer. Dhoni said he knew about Yuvraj's situation even before the latter told him about it. "When his test reports came, someone told me he has cancer," Dhoni said. "I just said 'are you sure?' The person repeated that Yuvraj has cancer. I was shocked."
Following his return from the United States after his treatment for mediastinal seminoma, Yuvraj has set up a cancer charity called Youwecan which focuses on spreading cancer awareness, and early detection.
Several players who spoke at the event in a three way conversation along with Yuvraj and Harsha Bhogle said they had seen Yuvraj cough and throw up repeatedly in the 2011 ICC World Cup but assumed they were throat or stomach problems. Yuvraj was named Player of the Tournament for the World Cup and described the moment after Dhoni hit a six to win the final for India. "I was running towards Mahi to hug him and he was running towards the stumps." Later then when he asked Dhoni what he had been doing, Dhoni had said he'd made a run for the stumps because otherwise the rest of the players would make a grab for them.
During his stay in Indianapolis for his cancer treatment, Yuvraj said he had followed the team's matches in Australia and admitted to feeling "sad" at not being involved with the cricket. "I would watch videos of my batting until one day, Anil Kumble came to visit me and shut my laptop. He said I should forget about the cricket and concentrate on my recovery." The only time he found himself "jumping" with excitement and joy during two difficult months of chemotherapy in the United States was on hearing about Virat Kohli's century in Adelaide.
The India team and support staff were called onto stage for photographs but as the players went on, Virender Sehwag stayed seated at his spot. Yuvraj called out to him and said, "Veeru, main bhi team main nahin noon, tum bhi team main nahin ho - chal aa jaa [I'm also not in the (Test) team, you're also not in the team - come on up]." Sehwag did with a smile on his face.
'Didn't want to break down in front of Yuvraj' - Tendulkar
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'Didn't want to break down in front of Yuvraj' - Tendulkar
