Inside Yuvraj Singh’s Fundraiser: From Pie-Chucker Banter To Million-Pound Moments

It felt like a symbolic passing of the torch. Shubman Gill, now officially India's captain, descended a curved staircase into a glittering London ballroom as legends of the game-Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen-along with BCCI officials and London's elite, gave him a standing ovation. The master of ceremonies listed Gill's recent record-breaking achievements as the hall applauded. Virat Kohli would arrive later in the evening to join the celebration.

The occasion was a fundraising gala hosted by Yuvraj Singh's cancer foundation, YouWeCan. The entire Indian squad, including coach Gautam Gambhir and support staff, turned up for the event, scheduled between their victorious Edgbaston Test and the upcoming Lord's clash. Over £1 million was raised to support cancer patients, with India's wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant making the highest individual bid of £17,000 during a spirited auction.

Pant's winning bid was for the chance to present an award to India's MVP Jasprit Bumrah. He battled it out against high-profile London bidders, some of whom had paid up to £12,450 for premium tables offering exclusive access to Yuvraj, celebrity guests, a champagne reception, a three-course haute cuisine meal, and unlimited drinks. Teammates watched in amusement as Pant, known for his fearless attitude on the field, kept raising his paddle.

Among the quirky awards that evening were tongue-in-cheek honours-Pant won for being the last to get on the team bus, Kuldeep Yadav was cited for blaming every failure on "bad times," and Ravindra Jadeja received a nod as the most frequent DRS requester. Gill, along with coach Gambhir, served as jury members. Sharing an anecdote, Gill joked: "Mohammed Siraj thinks every ball hitting the pad is out. And on replay, it's this far from the stump," spreading his hand to show a gap of nearly six inches. That drew the loudest laughter from the Indian team's table.

Yuvraj, ever the entertainer, took a friendly jab at Gambhir, saying, "There should be a bid just to make Gambhir smile." The two old teammates chuckled, showing rare moments of light-heartedness. Yuvraj also used the occasion to credit Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar for their role in building a strong Indian squad.

Every speaker on stage shared a personal Yuvraj memory. Some were humorous; others reflected on his battle with cancer. Sachin Tendulkar shared a touching moment from 2011, recalling that before India's first World Cup match against Bangladesh, he noticed Yuvraj was low on energy. "I took him out for dinner and had a heart-to-heart conversation. That's when he promised he'd win the World Cup for me," Tendulkar recalled.

Kevin Pietersen, too, reminisced about their on-field rivalry-calling Yuvraj a "pie-chucker" for his bowling. But he added, "When he was recovering, I visited him at home. He's a beautiful human being."

Shubman Gill's memory of Yuvraj was more personal and recent. As a teenager in Chandigarh, Gill and a group of young cricketers once scaled the wall at the Mohali stadium just to catch a glimpse of Yuvraj training. After the session, they approached him asking for a photo. Yuvraj replied with mock irritation: "Kabhi photo chahiye, kabhi helmet, kabhi pad, kabhi bat..." (One day it's a photo, another day a helmet, or a bat or pads.) As Gill narrated the story, Yuvraj tried to stifle his laughter, pretending to zip his lips. "These kids always cook up stories," he joked.

After the Indian team left, Virat Kohli made a late appearance, now a London resident himself. He was called on stage and greeted with warmth and nostalgia. "India misses you," the MC said. Kohli, stroking his chin, joked, "I just coloured my beard two days ago... when you start doing that every four days, it's time."

Kohli reminisced about an ODI in Cuttack during Yuvraj's return to the Indian team post-cancer. India had lost early wickets, and it was Yuvraj and MS Dhoni who anchored the innings with a memorable partnership. "I was sitting in the dressing room with KL Rahul, I think, watching them bat. It felt like I was back in my childhood, watching them rescue India once again," Kohli said.

The night was a perfect blend of nostalgia, humour, heartfelt moments, and admiration for Yuvraj Singh-the cricketer, the fighter, the fundraiser.