After growing up, Yuvraj Singh became my favourite cricketer, admits Soumya Sarkar

After making his debut in 2000 against Kenya, Yuvraj Singh has gone from a rookie to a veteran in the Indian cricket after the 2011 World Cup victory. Influential to India’s both World Cup-winning campaigns - 2007 and 2011, the southpaw has not only shaped Indian cricket but also influenced others. 

One of them is Bangladesh’s very-own all-rounder Soumya Sarkar. While Sarkar’s playing posture was largely adapted from Sourav Ganguly’s, his mindset and playing style was adapted from the 38-year-old Yuvraj. The 27-year-old revealed that after growing up, Yuvraj was his favourite cricketer. 

“After growing up, Yuvraj Singh became my favourite cricketer. I loved his aggressive style of batting from the word go. He used to change the course of the game pretty quickly. He didn’t spare anyone and was fearless. Even I wish to play like him,” said Soumya Sarkar, reported India Today. 

"Yuvraj's timing was special, as soon as he touched the bat, the ball would run like a bullet. I liked his dedication to the team. He was a great team player, and always thought about the team. I liked his bowling, his great fielding, his walk on the field, his style," he added. 

Since making his International debut in 2014, Sarkar has become one of the key players in the Bangladesh dressing room. In the 55 ODIs he has played thus far, the left-hander has scored over 1,700 runs at an average of 33.58. However, he added that it was after his meeting with Yuvraj, he started believing more in his abilities. 

“When I met Yuvraj, he asked me to have self-belief. He told me that I have the potential to turn the course of any match. He also advised me to not lose faith no matter how bad the situation is,” Soumya concluded.