Here's to Yuvraj 2.0

Yuvraj Singh's being dropped is neither unexpected nor unwelcome. Like a moon he has waxed and waned throughout his career; periods of breathtaking highs and exasperating lows. It is one such low that he has encountered now. And yet, I believe, he has not merely been dropped, he has been challenged. It could be good for him.

From here Yuvraj could take either of two paths. He could shut the door and blanket himself with self pity, he could surround himself with those who will speak of injustice and subterfuge, he could get angry and walk around with a snarl, or worse still, he could allow himself to look and feel wounded. Neither of those are friends, not one of them will help him stage a comeback. If anything, they could ensure that his compass points south when the promised land lies to the north. Shallow, self-seeking friends are a great scourge of Indian cricket and this is a good time for Yuvraj to assess who is in his corner.

Alternately he could look at recent events and believe this is the best thing that could have happened to him. Yuvraj has, these last few months, been overweight and sluggish. Maybe he has been mentally overwhelmed, maybe there are too many things occupying his mind, maybe cricket was not the most important thing in his life. That can happen. When you do something every day, you can take it for granted, let your feet recede from the extra step they need to take. His franchise was unhappy with him and his ebullience had vanished. It is a situation that is crying out for dispassionate self-assessment, for some solitude and introspection. The selectors have thrown him a lifeline, not both ends of the rope as my friend Navjot Sidhu likes to put it.

From here on it is not Yuvraj's skill but his attitude that will determine how much cricket he plays. Other cricketers have been at the crossroads before. Some like Nayan Mongia, a wonderfully skilful keeper, never came back; others like Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly emerged refreshed and hungry for battle. Five years ago Ganguly showed his tenacity by brushing off the cobwebs that were forming around him and ground out a glittering comeback. Ganguly's would be a good number for Yuvraj to dial, since the former captain understood his protégé like no one else.

A little period off the field could rekindle the hunger in Yuvraj, remind him of why he started playing in the first place. In his mind he could list his priorities and rediscover that cricket should be at the top. He could ask himself if the frills have overtaken the main course in his life. He could emerge humbler towards this most magnificent of sports that has a way of telling it as it is.

Contrary to some thought, humility and confidence are not oil and water, they are not immiscible. Being humble doesn't mean being weak, it is merely accepting that some things need to be corrected and going out and doing that.

A rejuvenated, fit, focused Yuvraj Singh could be central to India's planning for the World Cup. When in form, he has few peers in one-day cricket. But that World Cup spot cannot be handed on a platter. It has to be earned by playing domestic cricket, by spending hours in the middle understanding himself, by staying away from the moths that flicker around a light and go away when it is put off. Doing that will show his hunger for the game, and that will determine how much longer he plays.

I look forward to Yuvraj 2.0 with anticipation. It is the person rather than the cricketer that will define him henceforth. I won't be surprised if No. 4 is one of the first names put down for India's first game at the World Cup.