Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh he has often spoken about his complicated relationship with his father, a former cricketer, actor Yograj Singhwhose intense training methods left a lasting impact. Now a father himself, Yuvraj has opened up about parenthood and how his experiences have shaped the way he wants to raise his children.Yuvraj reflected on how becoming a parent transformed his outlook on life. “Oh, life has been amazing. I think meri maa mujhe bolti hoti thi, ya dad mujhe bolte the, ‘Jab tera bachcha hoga na tab tujhe pata lagega kya hota hai woh pyaar.” I think woh pyaar ek aisa hai jo aapko experience karna chahiye (My parents would say they will understand us when you have kids. Your love for your children is something only you can understand). It’s an amazing feeling to be a father,” he said in an interview to My FM India. The ex, who shares son Ororion and daughter Aura with wife Hazel Keech, said watching his children grow up has been very emotional for him.“Jaise-jaise mere bachche bade ho rahe hain, interactions, aapke khud ke genetics, usi tarah harkatein thoda usi tarah dikhna (As my children are growing up, I am seeing our interactions and a mini-me in them). I think it is the best feeling in the world to be a parent. It is difficult for all parents, but it is amazing.”Yuvraj also explained that he wants to adopt a more balanced parenting style than what he experienced growing up. Talking about whether he will pressure his children to take up cricket, he said that he believes that children should have the freedom to explore different interests.“In my experience, bachchon ko sab kuch karna chahiye. Sport ho, padhai ho, they should experience all sports. Jo bhi mann hai khelne ka (Children should experience everything. Whatever they are good at, they should choose and work hard),” he shared.He added, “I feel strength utna hi karna chahiye jitne ki zarurat hai. That’s a very thin line – kitna you can push your child. In our generation, fathers who were players would push a lot, including mine.” During the interview, Yuvraj also revealed that his difficult childhood experiences have influenced his mentoring of young players today, including cricketer Abhishek Sharma.“Jo mere dad ne mujhe sikhaya hai aur jo mujhe lagta hai ki yeh cheez nahi karni chahiye, toh I can do better things around to get the same skill out. Recalling a funny incident from the training sessions, Yuvraj said, “For example, agar koi late hotta hai ya disciplina nahi hai toh matlab usse 50 rounds aur bhaga diye, 40 minute aur marwa di. Waise abhi Abhishek Sharma ko gym mein pocha marwaya tha. Uske baad woh late nahi hua (For example, if someone is always late and refuses to change his behavior, it is not important to take him to do 50 rounds. I refreshed Abhishek Sharma at the gym, after that he was never late).Earlier in an interview with SMTV, Yograj Singh admitted that his strict approach towards Yuvraj stemmed from the bitterness of his cricketing journey where he felt unfairly overlooked. Despite the emotional strain it caused within the family, Yograj said he did not regret his methods. “Yes, but the day Yuvi leaves her children in my hands, they will suffer the same fate she did. You can only forge gold through fire. There will be no mercy, because there is only one way… That is what they fear, and that is why we are not together,” he said. Yuvraj had previously spoken about how his bond with his father changed when cricket came into the picture. In an interview with Sania Mirza, he said: “When I was a kid, he was a father. When I started training, he was never a father after all, he was a coach. That’s probably the saddest thing. What parents learn, they pass it on to their children. We have to learn from that and be better for our children. He did what he knew at the time, but as a parent.”“
