Former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh has frequently spoken about the complicated relationship he shared with his father, former cricketer and actor Yograj Singh, whose intense training methods left a lasting impact on him. Now a father himself, Yuvraj has opened up about parenthood and how his own experiences have shaped the way he wants to raise his children.
Yuvraj reflected on how becoming a parent transformed his perspective on life. In an interview with My FM India, he said, "Oh, life's been amazing. I think my mother used to tell me, or my father used to say, 'When you have your own child, you will understand what that love is.' I think that love is something you must experience. It is an amazing feeling to be a dad."
The former all-rounder, who shares son Orion and daughter Aura with wife Hazel Keech, said watching his children grow has been deeply emotional for him. "As my kids are growing up, our interactions and I am seeing a mini-me in them. I think it's the best feeling in the world to be a parent. It's hard for all parents, but it's just amazing to be a dad."
A Balanced Parenting Approach
Yuvraj also explained that he wants to adopt a far more balanced parenting style than the one he experienced growing up. Speaking about whether he would pressure his children to pursue cricket, he said he believes kids should have the freedom to explore different interests.
"In my experience, children should do everything. Sports, studies, they should experience all sports. Whatever they feel like playing, they should pick it and work hard in it," he shared.
He added, "I feel you should push only as much as necessary. That is a very thin line — how much you can push your kid. In our generation, dads who were players would push a lot, including mine."
Learning from the Past
During the conversation, Yuvraj also revealed that his own difficult childhood experiences have influenced the way he mentors younger players today, including cricketer Abhishek Sharma. "What my dad taught me and there were things I felt were wrong. I felt I could do different things and get the same skill out."
Recalling a funny incident from training sessions, Yuvraj said, "For example, if someone is perennially late and refusing to change their behaviour, it is not important that I make them do 50 rounds. I made Abhishek Sharma mop the gym, after that he was never late."
Yograj Singh's Perspective
In an earlier interview with SMTV, Yograj Singh had admitted that his strict approach towards Yuvraj stemmed from the bitterness of his own cricketing journey, where he felt overlooked unfairly. Despite the emotional strain it caused within the family, Yograj said he did not regret his methods. "Yes, but the day Yuvi hands his children over to me, they will meet the same fate as he did. You can only forge gold through fire. There will be no mercy, because there is only one path… That's what they fear, and that's why we aren't together," he said.
Yuvraj had previously spoken about how his bond with his father changed once cricket entered the picture. In a conversation with Sania Mirza, he said, "When I was a kid, he was a father. When he started coaching me, he was never a father after that, he was a coach. That's probably the saddest part. What parents learn, they pass on to their children. We have to learn from that and be better for our kids. He did what he knew at that time, but it's a very thin line as a parent."
