New Delhi, Feb 24 – Yuvraj Samra isn't the type to dwell on past successes. Just days after the 19-year-old smashed New Zealand's bowlers with a stunning 110 off 65 balls for Canada at the Men's T20 World Cup in Chennai, the newest Canadian cricket sensation didn't immediately return to his hometown, Toronto.
Instead, Samra, the youngest batter and the first from Associate Nations to score a century in the T20 World Cup, has been training diligently and playing on various pitches in Mumbai since February 21, under the guidance of Jwala Singh, a Mumbai-based coach who nurtured India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. Singh initially spotted Samra’s talent during a video call organized by the latter’s father, Baljit.
“When I saw him online with his father a few years back, I told my staff that he is exceptionally talented and doesn’t need just any training session. He needs focused, intensive coaching,” Singh said. “His bat swing is very clean, his hands are strong, and when I saw him playing against New Zealand, the way he dominated those world-class bowlers, it showed that he has the right temperament to succeed at the international level.”
For Samra, the experience has been equally valuable. “Back home in Canada, it’s very cold, and there's snow for six months a year. Playing indoors all the time is difficult for us, and I’m very grateful to be here in Mumbai, training with Sir on different pitches,” he said. “Being able to practice on these Mumbai pitches is a great advantage, as it’s not always easy to bat on them.”
Singh is also impressed with Samra’s adaptability. “It’s remarkable because he comes from a country where for 6-7 months, you’re already in snow and not playing on proper turf wickets. He practices on extra turfs where there’s no turn, just bounce and pace. But coming to India and playing in different situations in Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Colombo, you can see that he adapts very well, which is a crucial skill.”
Since arriving in Mumbai, Samra has already trained at various venues – the Air India ground, the Thane centre of Mumbai Cricket Club (run by Singh), and a session at the Oval Maidan on Tuesday – with the MCA's BKC ground next on the agenda for Wednesday. The variety of venues is deliberate, and Samra has readily adapted.
“In my academy, there are kids who always complain about the turning tracks. But this guy understands how to tackle and adapt to different conditions, and that’s really impressive,” Singh said. “I took him to the Air India ground, and he adjusted to those wickets, as well as to my Thane centre. Today, we had a session at Oval Maidan, and tomorrow we’re going to the MCA’s BKC ground.”
“So, there’s no difference at all. When you’re playing well on different surfaces, it shows that he’s mentally very strong and he knows how to adjust, implement, and deliver his shots – that’s the key,” Singh added. “There are many players with skills, but very few can perform consistently under pressure, and he’s one of them.”
With a T20 World Cup century already under his belt at 19, Singh isn’t focused on making any major changes. His priority is to maintain Samra’s focus, discipline, and consistency.
“Well, if someone like Yuvraj, who has already played in the World Cup and scored hundreds there, then most of the work has been done. It’s always important to keep their mind alive, motivating them to keep working hard and making them aware of how to become consistent because if you’re thinking about playing international cricket, it’s all about consistency,” Singh said.
Singh also noted that Yuvraj showed unusually rapid progress in training, adding that within a day, he had improved his back-foot play against short-pitched deliveries by nearly 20 per cent – a development that typically takes months for most youngsters.
He added that Samra’s ability to read the ball was exceptional, explaining that while many batters pick cues from the release point, the youngster tracks the ball from the bowler’s wrist and still manages to make late adjustments. Over four days of practice on varied surfaces, he said, the youngster consistently delivered, setting himself apart from peers.
Singh was characteristically direct about what separates players like Samra from those who fade after a bright start. “You have to score every day, and that’s how I really teach the players. I try to make them hungrier towards success. If you have scored 100 in the past, whether it was on February 17 or 18, it’s gone. Now we are on February 24 and need to think about today.”
“You have to try to learn how to become consistent in terms of your cricket, social life, and handling others – as it’s very, very important because it’s not about playing good cricket, it’s about how good a human being you are – how you are carrying your emotions, treating others and these things also count to play for the long term,” he added.
“So, this is what I really work on and make them learn. But the most important thing is focus, because if you have focus, then all other expertise will align towards the goal. If you don’t have focus, everything will go on. I have seen many players – they started very, very well, but today they are nowhere. It’s all about focus and consistency, and mostly I try to build them as a good human, as well as how to become more consistent. Of course, they have skill; otherwise, without skill, you cannot survive at that level,” he elaborated.
Samra, for his part, appears to have absorbed those lessons already. Rather than basking in the adulation that followed his swashbuckling century in Chennai, he is using his time in Mumbai to prepare for what comes next, while taking a moment to acknowledge those who have cheered him along the way.
“First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone from Canada who supported me throughout my journey and watched my game against New Zealand. I just really thank you for that, and I want to say to all the kids that anything is possible if you work hard towards it. Anything you dream of can become true, and I feel like you should never stop working hard and always chase your dreams,” he concluded.