The Test of My Life

Written by Yuvraj Singh and co-authored by Nishant Arora and Sharda Ugra

The read through the pages of ‘Test of my Life’ has been emotionally draining but at the same time mentally charging to the hilt. The best about this one is that it has no theatricality or drama, it is the story of a young boy who becomes a cricketer, later the champion of his sport, then ‘Player of the Tournament of Cricket World Cup 2011‘, and lastly a patient of the most deadly disease- Cancer. 

‘Life has a funny way of coming full circle…. Indeed! ‘

Book Title— The title is well-suited. When destiny threw the most daunting ‘TEST MATCH’, a game of life and death at him, he faced it all till he won over it.

Book Cover— A poster photograph, which captures our sporty, handsome and absolutely lovable Yuvi in his confident self. I am sure this one will get his fans drooling once again.

Story Line— It is the account of Yuvraj Singh’s battle with cancer, the painful days of being under medical treatment and later on making a come-back to the international cricket. This one leads the readers beyond the bright lights of glamour and jazz that comes with the celebrity status, it takes us along the childhood of a vulnerable boy who loved skating more over cricket, but takes on to the sport because of his domineering dad, who hates to see his Mum-Dad fight and chooses to live with his mother when he is eighteen. This one is about the life of a sportsman who humbly talks about his hometown, his family, friends, Guruji, Babaji, mentor, manager, trainer, doctor and mostly about his thoughts, his emotions and lastly about the frightening and liberating moments of his life.

Some of the portions of the book were startling. What struck me most was the failed relationship of his parents and the way he has managed it till date, despite of all the odds. I admire his admiration for God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar and I was overwhelmed to read that one person for whom Yuvi wanted to win the world cup was Sachin himself. Also the pact before the World Cup that he makes with God was a life changing one for him. It has never been easy to be the blessed one, God has his own ways of testing the waters. We all need his blessings and we are nothing without it.

His Final Return to the world of cricket,  was the winning ball of the whole game of the one-day which was not about a day. 

Thumps Up: 

• Dr. Einhorn’s treatment that helped our hero Yuvraj to be back as a normal person.
• The battle that Yuvi rages with himself throughout the World Cup and does not give in easily to his failing body is commendable and says so much about his conviction and passion. He had a goal and he achieved it wonderfully.
• Along the pages, Yuvraj also recounts his historic matches and it also gives us an insight of his strengths and weaknesses. 
• I am glad that he realizes that since he was a cricket sports-person, thus he got all the adulation in both good and the bad times. But there are people who are dying everyday because they have no money to even detect that they suffer from the deadliest disease, he aims to reach out to them.
•  YOUWECAN, a association for cancer survivors is a great effort and may it reach the sky to help out thousands of people who really need the support and care.
• Friends are for a lifetime and I must say Yuvi is a blessed one to have some of his best people stand with him in the worst of times.  
• The relationship with his Mum is the most wonderful one. The lady, Shabnam Singh deserves a salute for being their for her son all along the toughest battle of his life. I know Mums are the best and she couldn’t be less. 

.Last but not the least : I loved the pictures from Yuvraj’ Singh library. The photo gallery capturing the happy and sad moments of the rock-star were a treat to the eyes. The pictures from his childhood, his victory, his awards and later the days of his cancer treatment makes us fall in love with this charmer of cricket and much more for his undaunted attitude with which he fought the deadly disease and came out victorious. I must say he has been the winner of the test-match of life because all the way he carried the spirit of defeating a disease commonly labelled as ‘incurable’.

Final Verdict: A compelling read it is!! This is a story of 3Cs, a celebrity, a cricket champion and a cancer patient told in simple, lucid and honest words. 

When the opposition in question is an adamant disease like cancer, no armory can be strong enough to win over it except will- power. Celebrities have had cancer abut very few have talked about it in a way that has been inspiring and liberating.  Lisa Ray had said, “I’ll beat cancer” and she did it. And now we have Yuvi too who has done it and secured his lost position in the world of cricket. This is has not been easy… it required a lot of heat and sweat to make a come-back. 

Happy Reading!!!

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

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• Sachin Tendulkar launches Yuvraj Singh’s memoirs “The Test Of My Life” Book (icricketbuzz.com)
• Yuvraj Singh’s ‘The Test of my life’ is innate honesty (ibnlive.in.com)