Yuvraj Singh issues apology after alleged ‘casteist’ remark triggers controversy

Having announced his retirement from professional cricket, Yuvraj Singh decided to spend his time during lockdown in a rather entertaining way, indulging in ‘Instagram Live’ chats with Indian players of past and present, including Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah. Yuvraj’s witty comments and jokes during the Insta interactions gained a lot of traction, but recently, the former all-rounder came under fire after a video circulated on social media, in which the 38-year-old was allegedly seen hurling a ‘casteist’ remark over Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. 

Yuvraj’s unwarranted comments soon went viral on social media and received a lot of backlash amongst fans, with many condemning the former cricketer’s ‘vile’ comments. And on the back of his controversial statement and the outrage of social media, Yuvraj, on Friday, issued a heartfelt apology and clarified his stance on the issue. The 38-year-old stated that he never believed in any kind of disparity and added that he wished to sincerely apologize to anyone whose feelings he’d unintentionally hurt.

“This is to clarify that I have never believed in any kind of disparity, be it on the basis of caste, colour, creed or gender. I have given and continue to spend my life for the welfare of people. I believe in the dignity of life and respect each individual without exception,” Yuvraj said in a statement on Twitter.

“I understand that while I was having a conversation with my friends, I was misunderstood, which was unwarranted. However, as a responsible Indian I want to say that if I have unintentionally hurt anybody’s sentiments or feelings, I would like to express regret for the same. My love for India and all its people is eternal,” Yuvraj wrote in his statement.

After a successful Indian career that spanned 17 years, Yuvraj announced his retirement in 2019. He has, however, since participated in the GT20 in Canada and in the T10 League in Abu Dhabi, becoming a flag-bearer for Indian participation in foreign leagues.