World Cancer Day: Yuvraj Singh says fight against the deadly disease has made him look forward to life

World Cancer Day brings to light several survivor stories of those who battled their way out from the clutches of the deadly disease. This year, on the back of a stellar performance for the Indian cricket team, Yuvraj Singh's revival tale has drawn the attention once again. The left-handed batsman scored a brilliant 150 in the second ODI against England to mark a stunning return to form since being diagnosed with cancer.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Yuvraj opened up about how cancer impacted his life, how it helped him become a better person and how he can set an example for those suffering from the disease.

Yuvraj Singh. AFP

"It was a long and tough journey but now when I look back, it was a big learning lesson in my life. I learnt, ‘Every day you have to live life’. You hope for the best and be prepared for the worst. I’m a changed person. Earlier everything was about cricket and now, I look forward to life," Yuvraj told the newspaper.

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"Obviously, nobody wants to go through cancer but it has definitely got the better person out of me. After that, the roller coaster ride I went through, I never thought of ‘why me’," he added.

The strong performance against England has all but cemented his place in the Indian limited overs side and Yuvraj called his innings in Cuttack as one of his best ever.

"Probably, one of my best innings. The last time I got a hundred was the 2011 World Cup. I am very happy with the innings," Yuvraj had said after the match. The man of the series in the 2011 World Cup visibly got emotional after reaching the milestone.

"Emotions are very hard to describe. It was very important that I proved it to myself because there is very little belief outside. So it was very important to believe in myself," Yuvraj told BCCI.tv.

The 35-year-old feels the return to his old self after suffering from the ailment can provide inspiration to cancer patients and also change the perception of the society towards them. "I carry a big example for all of them. Life can go in any direction. It’s okay to fall, as it’s then that you learn to get up. Unless you don’t learn through your own mistakes, you will never become a better person in life," he told Hindustan Times.

Yuvraj will now shift his attention to preparing for the Indian Premier League. He won the title with the Sunrisers Hyderabad last season and will be hoping for a similar result this time around as well.