I profess this nice productive sequence to be a best ever for the left hander and sure enough you think of good fortune more than fulfilment of age-old potential. This betters a previous-best string of 69, 139 and 47 recorded in the Aus-Zim-Ind VB series 2 years back. Genuinely moderate achievement this, considering he has played over 5 years of international cricket principally as a specialist batsman.

I can sense you turn your back on me with a dismissive shrug no sooner than I observe that the current string features a rare solo masterpiece, one that conjured up a fighting and rather unimaginable 249/9 from a paltry 35/5.

Indeed there is no reason to award any extra points on his fielding which, sure as daylight, has already earned this inconsistent package named Yuvraj Singh some valuable 'last opportunities' in the Indian XI. A return of 4 run-outs (including 3 direct hits) over the last 3 one-day series, however, narrates a whole new story you would hate to listen. Essentially that the erstwhile sharp catcher of the point region is metamorphosing into a complete fielding great.

Dear sceptic, a mention of any of the above to your ilk may be the surest way to make them speak at length about the devious ways adopted to showcase a purple patch, or allot undeserving extra points where none is due. Twisting truth can be as easy as coming in to bat in a Test match with a healthy lead on board, some would snigger.

Sri Lanka are a decent Test bowling attack under the conditions prevailing at the Kotla. The restraint and fluency that Yuvraj simultaneously exhibited during his relaxed innings of 77* indicates that the early promise shown during his ICC trophy debut against Australia in 2000 has borne belated fruit. And yet those very runs would struggle to earn an appreciation from you for being 'scratchily accumulated fair weather stuff'.

The purpose is not to start an argument, friends. Being an old mate I just wanted to warn you that the new Yuvraj is here - looming large in front of you, ready to suck you in as he has done to me over the last couple of months. I was unsuspecting, you need not be.

Did I utter 'belated' there? His biological clock struck 24.00 yesterday as he remained unbeaten at stumps. Today happened to be the dawn of Yuvraj Singh by elementary laws of nature; it was time.

Over the past 5 years many of us had cursed Yuvraj's skipper for sticking by him. Planted, nurtured, watered and protected adoringly by the former leaseholder of Team India estate, Yuvraj Singh today is among the most valuable saplings in the orchard of skipper Rahul Dravid.

And I do not care if you have stopped listening. I parted ways with the group a month back.

A good one...close observation and good enough to convince Yuvraj "haters" as you name them. Well, i always enjoyed Yuvraj's batting....remember how he and Kaif led India to Victory against England in Natwest. I have been his fan since then.

That average of 98 has benefited some what from 3 not outs.

Averages in the last 15 tests excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe:

Ganguly 36.85
Laxman 34.42
Gambhir 24.38
So, who should go, Laxman or Gambhir?! 37 is hardly the average of an out-of-form batsman. Should Ganguly have made way for Yuvraj?

It looks like Ganguly has made way for Yuvraj for the next Test, and the fact that Yuvraj has a bunch of not outs to his his name shows that the batsmen does not give his wicket away lightly which in itself is a very good thing, in light of England's problems in Pakistan. A sight that no opponent of India wishes to see is that of Yuvraj and Kaif fielding in the circle.
My heart sinks when I see the 2 of them prowling and ready to pounce, add to that they run well between the wickets, India would be best seved by having these 2 in their ODI and Test teams for the next 5 years.