Former Team India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has made a stunning admission about his ex-teammate MS Dhoni, stating that they are not close friends. Yuvraj clarified that they were friends due to their shared interests in cricket, but their lifestyles are vastly different and didn't agree with one another's decisions on plenty of occasions.
Both Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni have played plenty of cricket and took India to enormous heights during their prime. The pair was part of India's squad when they lifted the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 in South Africa, followed by the 2011 World Cup victory on home soil. Dhoni and Yuvraj were at the crease when India beat Sri Lanka in 2011.
During a chat on TRS Clips, Yuvraj said they gave their everything on the field, but didn't have a friendly relationship outside it.
"Me and Mahi are not close friends. We were friends because of cricket, we played together. Mahi's lifestyle was very different from me, so we were never close friends, we were only friends because of cricket. When me and Mahi went on the ground, we gave more than 100% to our country. In that, he was captain, I was vice-captain. When I came into the team, I was 4 years junior. When you are captain and vice-captain, there will be decision differences."
The 41-year-old also praised MS Dhoni being honest about where he stood in the scheme of things for the Indian selectors before the 2019 World Cup.
"Sometimes he made decisions I didn't like, sometimes I made decisions he didn't like. That happens in every team. When I was at the end of my career, when I wasn't getting the right picture about my career, I asked him for advice. He was the guy who told me that the selection committee is not looking you right now. I was like, at least I got to know the real picture. This is just before 2019 World Cup. That is the reality."
"If you take any team, all eleven don't get along" - Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj further claimed that not every team member get along well with one another, regardless of the lengths they go for one another on the field. He added:
"Your teammates don't have to be your best friends outside the field. Everybody has a different lifestyle, skill set. Certain people hang out with certain people, you don't have to be best friends with everyone to go on the field. If you take any team, all eleven don't get along. Some do, some don't. When you are in the park, put your ego behind you and contribute on the field."
Yuvraj retired from international cricket in 2019, while Dhoni quit the same a year later.
