Yuvraj Singh, Martin Crowe and Tony Greig
India went on to lose the T20 InternationaI at Chennai by a run. It was just another T20 defeat for the former world champions. The result got drowned in the vastness of the occasion. It was, after all, Yuvraj Singh’s comeback match. It was not a return from the depths of being axed; it was a victory after a year’s battle against lung cancer. This was the story of a hero – not a victor on a lush green oval, but the triumph of Man against harsh Nature trying to hold Him down.
India went on to lose the T20 InternationaI at Chennai by a run. It was just another T20 defeat for the former world champions. The result got drowned in the vastness of the occasion. It was, after all, Yuvraj Singh’s comeback match. It was not a return from the depths of being axed; it was a victory after a year’s battle against lung cancer. This was the story of a hero – not a victor on a lush green oval, but the triumph of Man against harsh Nature trying to hold Him down.
Yuvraj Singh fought - and won. Everything in the match became redundant after that. The comeback was more phenomenal than his staggering performance in the 2011 World Cup, where he had emerged as the Man of the Series for scoring 362 runs and taking 15 wickets.
A month later, he bludgeoned his way to 208 off 241 balls against Central Zone in a Duleep Trophy match that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. He was back. Whether the selectors pick him for the long home season ahead is another story, but there is no doubt that he is back to his prime.
When Yuvraj was busy murdering the Central Zone bowlers, Martin Crowe was diagnosed with lymphoma – a cancer of the lymphocytes. Crowe, arguably the best New Zealand batsman ever and one of the finest batsmen and shrewdest captains of his era, had announced last year that he was contemplating a return to First-class cricket at an unbelievable age of 48, stunning the world by his immense mental strength, which would undoubtedly play a part in his speedy recovery.
Later that week, news broke out that Tony Greig, one of the finest all-rounders and the brain behind Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket was diagnosed with lung cancer. Greig has vowed to “put the boxing gloves on and fight this”; he would undoubtedly recover from his ailment as well.
Let us go back in time and have a look at those who were diagnosed with cancer in the history of the sport.
Simon O’Donnell
Simon O’Donnell was possibly the first example of a cricketer making a successful comeback after a mid-career diagnosis of cancer. He was one of the regular members of the Australian ODI squad till end-1987, and played a significant role in their successful World Cup campaign of 1987.
He already had found two lumps in his ribs during the tournament. However, he told coach Bob Simpson about the lump only on the eve of the final. As he returned as a World Cup victor; as he got off the flight, he felt ill and visited the Warringal Private Hospital in Heidelberg. The doctors performed an operation that afternoon and told him that he had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He came back – but after battling the illness for a year.
A year later he took 5 for 13 – still the least runs conceded by an Australian taking five wickets in an innings – to demolish New Zealand for 94. Two months after that O’Donnell scored the fastest ODI fifty – against Sri Lanka at Sharjah – off only 18 balls. The record stood for six years until Sanath Jayasuriya scored a 17-ball 50 at Singapore.
Not only had he returned, he had also proved himself at the highest level. In 87 ODIs, O’Donnell scored 1,242 runs at 25.34 and took 108 wickets at 28.72. He had also played six Tests.
Dave Callaghan
Dave Callaghan was diagnosed with testicular cancer in September 1991. He kept on playing, and made his debut a year later. After an indifferent career spanning 18 ODIs in over a year, Callaghan had to undergo serious treatment. When he came back almost a year later, he was asked to open the innings in his first outing.
Callaghan launched a furious assault on the New Zealand bowlers. He became the first South African to go past 150, and his unbeaten 169 from 143 balls sealed the match for South Africa. He hit 19 fours and four sixes, and the Kiwis looked helpless as he hit them all over the ground, helping his side reach 314 for seven. Not content, he went on to take his career-best three for 32 to bowl out New Zealand for 233.
He made another comeback later in 2000. As proof of his undying spirit and love for the game, he won back-to-back Man of the Match awards against West Indies (69 off 42 balls) and England (three for 37 and 62-ball 92 not out) in the Cricket Legends of Barbados Cup, 2009.
Michael Clarke
By 2006 Michael Clarke was already hailed as one of the biggest upcoming stars in international cricket. However, it was then that he noticed “two unusual spots” on his face and got them checked. He was diagnosed with skin cancer.
Simon O’Donnell was possibly the first example of a cricketer making a successful comeback after a mid-career diagnosis of cancer. He was one of the regular members of the Australian ODI squad till end-1987, and played a significant role in their successful World Cup campaign of 1987.
He already had found two lumps in his ribs during the tournament. However, he told coach Bob Simpson about the lump only on the eve of the final. As he returned as a World Cup victor; as he got off the flight, he felt ill and visited the Warringal Private Hospital in Heidelberg. The doctors performed an operation that afternoon and told him that he had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He came back – but after battling the illness for a year.
A year later he took 5 for 13 – still the least runs conceded by an Australian taking five wickets in an innings – to demolish New Zealand for 94. Two months after that O’Donnell scored the fastest ODI fifty – against Sri Lanka at Sharjah – off only 18 balls. The record stood for six years until Sanath Jayasuriya scored a 17-ball 50 at Singapore.
Not only had he returned, he had also proved himself at the highest level. In 87 ODIs, O’Donnell scored 1,242 runs at 25.34 and took 108 wickets at 28.72. He had also played six Tests.
Dave Callaghan
Dave Callaghan was diagnosed with testicular cancer in September 1991. He kept on playing, and made his debut a year later. After an indifferent career spanning 18 ODIs in over a year, Callaghan had to undergo serious treatment. When he came back almost a year later, he was asked to open the innings in his first outing.
Callaghan launched a furious assault on the New Zealand bowlers. He became the first South African to go past 150, and his unbeaten 169 from 143 balls sealed the match for South Africa. He hit 19 fours and four sixes, and the Kiwis looked helpless as he hit them all over the ground, helping his side reach 314 for seven. Not content, he went on to take his career-best three for 32 to bowl out New Zealand for 233.
He made another comeback later in 2000. As proof of his undying spirit and love for the game, he won back-to-back Man of the Match awards against West Indies (69 off 42 balls) and England (three for 37 and 62-ball 92 not out) in the Cricket Legends of Barbados Cup, 2009.
Michael Clarke
By 2006 Michael Clarke was already hailed as one of the biggest upcoming stars in international cricket. However, it was then that he noticed “two unusual spots” on his face and got them checked. He was diagnosed with skin cancer.
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