After Dhoni and Ranchi, its Yuvi’s turn in Mohali

After captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni thrilled his hometown of Ranchi in the last ODI, it is now local boy Yuvraj's turn to take centrestage at the PCA stadium in Mohali, where the southpaw honed his cricketing skills in his formative years.

With India set to take on England in the fourth ODI here on January 23, the spotlight will shift to Yuvraj Singh, especially since this will be his first game at his home venue after battling cancer that nearly derailed his career. The last time Yuvraj played here was in the high-voltage World Cup semifinal between India and Pakistan two years ago.

In between, the middle-order batsmen has battled cancer and made a stunning comeback to the national squad. Now as the local hero returns home, there is an air of expectation all around. "I am definitely Yuvraj's biggest fan. I was at the PCA Stadium during the World Cup semi-final. I have been waiting to see him in action since then. There is a big rush for the tickets but thankfully I was able to get one for me and my friends in time. We are eagerly waiting for the moment," says Gurvinder Singh, a resident of Mohali.

"He has been a fighter and always showed his spirit; be it after being dropped from the Indian team or after coming back from fighting cancer. That is what makes him an idol for us. I tried to meet him at the hotel where he is staying but due to security reasons I couldn't," says Bhanu Pratap Singh, who has specially come from Shimla to watch the match.

With Yuvraj due for a big knock and showing glimpses of the form that makes him one of the cleanest hitters and greatest finishers of the modern game, fans are hoping that he will deliver at his home ground. "He is playing well at the moment but we want him to top score for India and help the team win. After all, it will give the home fans something more to cheer about," adds Bhanu.

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