Ladies of the house ... ': Yograj Singh's shocking remark blames wives for player retirements

NEW DELHI — Yograj Singh, former India cricketer and father of ex-India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, has triggered controversy by claiming that wives and women in the household often push players toward retirement. In an interview released Friday with InsideSport, Yograj alleged that domestic pressure, rather than form or fitness, is steering modern players into early exits.

“Ladies of the house, your wifes, they start coaching, they tell you it’s time for you to retire, it’s time to look after the family, the kids, let’s enjoy kids,” Yograj said. Expanding on the point, he argued that “women should not come in between the legendary prospect of a player,” adding, “fakir aur player yeh dono ka koi dharam nahi hai, warg nahi hai, they belong to god.”

The 66-year-old, who featured in one Test and six ODIs during the early 1980s, also directed barbs at star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both recently retired from T20Is after India’s 2024 World Cup victory and stepped away from Test cricket last year, now playing only ODIs. Yograj questioned the timing of their decisions.

“Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are young cricketers and they want to quit. Laanat hai zindagi bhar,” he remarked. “Make the world realise that you are the best, that you are indispensable. Even if you are fifty years old and still scoring a double hundred, no one will drop you. So this age factor is very funny in this country.”

In a notable shift from his previous criticisms, Yograj praised former India captain MS Dhoni, who continues to play competitive cricket. “He is still playing and should keep on doing so for the next 10 years. Because he has proved his fitness with the right discipline and dedication. I still see his forearm, amazing man. Who the hell are people to tell him to retire? No. As far as cricket is concerned, hats off to him,” Yograj said.

Kohli will return to the field in IPL 2026 with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while Rohit will lead Mumbai Indians. The tournament begins Saturday at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where RCB face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the season opener.