'I wasn't feeling respected... it was hurting me':Yuvraj Singh reveals retirement reason, says he didn't receive support

I was not enjoying my game. I had a feeling that, “Why am I playing cricket when I am not enjoying it?” I was not feeling supported. I was not feeling respected. The 44-year-old Yuvraj said on the podcast ‘Serving it Up with Sania’ while talking about his cricketing days at the end of his career. India's former all-rounder revealed that this was the real reason behind his retirement from cricket in June 2019. During a conversation on a podcast with tennis star Sania Mirza, Yuvraj said that at that time, he was neither finding joy in the game nor receiving the respect he deserved from the team management and environment. Yuvraj is happy with his decision today Yuvraj Singh clarified that he found mental peace after retirement. He admitted that cricket gave him a lot, but it's also important to stop at the right time. Yuvraj said, “Why am I lingering on to something that I'm not enjoying? Why do I need to play? To prove what? I can't do more than this, mentally or physically, and it was hurting me. The day I stopped, I was myself again.” Navjot Singh Sidhu told his father that Yuvraj had no talent Recalling his early days, Yuvraj said that there was a time when his ability was questioned. In her question to Yuvi, Sania mentioned how Sidhu wrote Yuvraj Singh off by saying, 'He cannot play. I don't think he has in him (Bhai ye nahi khel sakta, I don't think isme hai).' Also Read: WATCH | IND-NZ 4th T20I top moments and records: Hardik's ‘bullet-throw’, Shivam Dube's unfortunate dismissal dog invading the ground Responding to the question, Yuvraj said, “Now, when I look back at it, I just think he didn't have the time to have a proper look at me. He was just being nice to my dad, have a look at me. And then he was playing for India at that time. I was 13, probably 14, at that time. …I don't take it personally, but my father took it personally.” Not being selected for the World Cup 2019 became a turning point Yuvraj retired from both international cricket and the Indian Premier League when he was not selected for the Indian team for the 2019 ODI World Cup. There was discussion about the number-4 slot in the team, and Yuvraj had hoped based on his experience, but after not being selected, he announced his retirement at a press conference in Mumbai. His last season in the IPL was with the Mumbai Indians. However, he didn't get many opportunities to play matches that season. Yuvraj admitted that when you mentally stop enjoying the game, it becomes even harder to perform on the field. Yuvraj Singh: Player of the Tournament in the 2011 ODI World Cup In the 2011 ODI World Cup, Yuvraj Singh delivered a stellar performance and won the Player of the Tournament award. He scored a total of 362 runs in 8 innings at an average of 90.50, including four half-centuries and one century. He also took 15 wickets in the tournament. Yuvraj was named Player of the Match four times in the tournament and was ultimately chosen as the Player of the Tournament. After the tournament, Yuvraj was diagnosed with cancer and underwent treatment. He was out of the Indian team for more than a year. After fully recovering, he made his international cricket comeback in September 2012 with a T20 match against New Zealand. Yuvraj holds the record for the fastest half-century for India in T20Is In 2007, under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, India won the first T20 World Cup. Yuvraj Singh created history in this tournament by hitting six sixes in an over against England. In the same match, he set another major record by scoring a half-century in just 12 balls. This still remains the record for the fastest fifty in T20 cricket for India. Before getting out, Yuvraj played an explosive innings of 58 runs off 16 balls. Yuvraj could only score one century after the 2011 World Cup Yuvraj returned to cricket in 2012 after undergoing cancer treatment, but his game lacked the same brilliance as before. In the 30 ODIs he played after the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj scored 650 runs at an average of 27.08. This included only one century. During this period, he scored 610 runs in 35 T20 International matches at an average of 25.41. Yuvraj, who took 148 wickets in his international career, only managed to take 22 wickets for India after April 2011.