The Test Of My Life by Yuvraj Singh!!!

       

    Reading fiction and non-fiction are two different things. While reading fiction, you end up being in a world of imaginations but while reading a non-fiction attempt, you know that these things can specifically happen with you. Hence you read it with more determination and pleasure. You know that you can end up being a protagonist or experience the same events as mentioned in the book. I am just sitting after completing 4 hours read of Yuvraj Singh, the cricketer's autobiographical attempt where he tells us about his journey from Cricket to Cancer and how he fought the disease and ended up being a normal Cricketer again. The book is titled perfectly "The Test Of My Life" and has a tagline "from cricket to cancer and back". The cover page carries a very good image clicked of Yuvraj Singh with his shining eyes, black hairs, glowing face and an expressive positive attitude. It also has Sachin Tendulkar's reaction on the book "Pure Inspiration" imbibed on it. On the back cover, the reactions of Kevin Pietersen, Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, Harbhajan Singh and Saina Nehwal is mentioned. There's nothing over the shell of the book that can stop you from purchasing it except the MRP of the book which is 400+. But... Yuvraj's attempt and will power to let everyone know his story and life regarding cancer is something for which he needs to be applauded. 

              One thing that I am very much happy about is the way Yuvraj Singh has cut short events and kept the book of just 190 pages and didn't just kept writing and writing and writing as generally the autobiography of a sportsman is. He has used a very fluid language with no words, terms or abbreviations making us feel uncomfortable or inferior. He has talked as if he is one of us and that makes this book special. He hasn't shown any kind of arrogance or pride over himself while scripting his story. His simplicity and humbleness can be easily seen right from the very first chapter till the end. He has covered almost every thing- his initial childhood days, his initial training in Cricket, his selection, his winning moments, World Cup moments and finally the Cancer moments and then the recent comeback in Cricket after recovering from Cancer. :-)

             His father's behavior with him while training him for Cricket is something for which I feel pity for Yuvraj Singh. I have also been beaten by my father for studies but in that comparison, Yuvraj Singh is been thrashed more severely. The way he has opined about his parents' fights and arguments and then their separation is something one needs a lot of guts to do in a country like India. The way our very own Navjot Singh Sidhu said to his father that Yuvraj Singh does not have Cricket in him and the way his father reacted "Ab dekhta hoon tu cricketer kaise nahi banta hai" is interesting to know. The way he got selected and won the big tournaments in a very small age is another lovely part to read. The way he has described Sachin Tendulkar every now and then shows his respect for him. He has also taken the names of his favorite teammates with immense respect. He has not taken name of many of them including Dhoni which shows that they have not been much a part of his personal life. But maintained his integrity by not speaking anything against them. He wanted to speak about 2007 World Cup and the wrong decisions of captain Rahul Dravid but he choose not to talk about it. :-)

              The whole description of 2003 World Cup and then our epic 2011 World Cup including the Finale gave me goosebumps. His description about how he was struggling with his body but still working for the World Cup made me emotional too. Why a World Cup tournament is so important for a Cricketer is also explained by Yuvraj. He has shown his emotions for Indians who support Cricketers and make them feel good about themselves. He has also said about how media has manipulated the news and sometimes analyzed things by themselves and wrote and talked about him. This tells us how cruel media is sometimes. But he has also thanked media for the love that they gave him when his news of Cancer initially broke out. Later on his description about how his mother and he dealt with Cancer is something that will always remain with me. He has wonderfully shown how much a cancer patient has to suffer and what emotions he/she goes through. Even I am scared of this disease now. But as Yuvraj Singh has himself come out of it after losing all the confidence and will power also gives me an inspiration that even I can beat Cancer if I ever fall in this condition. 

            Also the training that he went through after the chemotherapy gives a good insight about what a passion of living and doing what one loves the most can make one do. One fails to give up in such situations. In all, I would say that Yuvraj Singh will become a sibling to everyone whoever will read this book. He is the first in the contemporary Indian team to write a book himself. But I would still say that Lance Armstrong's book and Brett Lee's autobiography was more liked by me than this. But as such books should not be judged, I am not rating this one. I would just ask all to read it as it surely gives energy and makes us emotional for numerous times. :-) And Yuvraj, Kudos and Respect!!!

 Thanks.

 ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!