Yuvraj set to make comeback tomorrow, many bat for him

FAR away in Boston, an American, vaguely familiar with cricket rules, can't wait for India's T20 game against New Zealand on Saturday. It was mid-March when Dr Lawrence H Einhorn signed Yuvraj Singh's discharge at the Indiana University's Simon Cancer Center.

With Yuvraj likely to take guard for his second innings over the weekend in Visakhapatanam, the oncologist is pleasantly surprised by the speed of the 30-year-old's "chemotherapy to competitive cricket" journey. That's saying a lot as Dr Einhorn, who has also treated cycling legend Lance Armstrong at the same hospital, is not new to miraculous recoveries.

"Most of them return to full activity within three months. However, these people are usually doctors, lawyers, teachers etc, not world-class athletes... so their return is not as physically demanding," Dr Einhorn told The Indian Express from Indiana.

"Yuvraj is strong physically, mentally and emotionally. I fully expected him to return to represent his country in cricket after recovery from his aggressive chemotherapy. It is a testament to his courage and fortitude that he was able to accomplish this after just three months." he said.

Besides his own unrelenting desire to be in the India huddle again, Yuvraj was motivated by several of his well-wishers on the comeback road. In the last three months, he spent 50 days at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) — first taking baby steps and later giant strides on the treadmill working on his speed, agility and stamina. A team of six — doctors, trainers, physios — worked with him to monitor the load that his body could take.

And there was always the call to Boston and Dr Einhorn's vital inputs. "We are directly and indirectly in touch with Yuvraj through his doctor in India. There is nothing he needs to be careful about, other than going for his routine tests to make certain his cancer remains in remission," said Einhorn.

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