Yuvraj Singh, the hero of India’s victorious World Cup campaign last year, is being treated for lung cancer in the United States, his physiotherapist said Sunday.
Jatin Choudhary told television channel Headlines Today that the all-rounder was diagnosed in October and was being treated in Boston, but said the disease was in its early stages.
“Once he is done with chemo in March, his rehabilitation would be complete by April end and he would be perfectly fit to play in May,” Choudhary told the Press Trust of India news agency.
Yuvraj’s family said last November that the all-rounder had been battling a golf ball-sized non-malignant lung tumour which first affected him during the World Cup.
His mother said he had been “constantly” troubled by bouts of coughing and vomiting throughout the tournament, which India won on home soil in April.
Despite this, the left-hander scored 362 runs and took 15 wickets in nine matches to earn the player of the tournament award as India took the title for the first time since 1983.
Yuvraj, known as an aggressive hitter and useful left-arm spin bowler, wrote on Twitter that he hoped to draw inspiration from Lance Armstrong, the cyclist who overcame testicular cancer to win numerous Tour de France titles.
“Reading Lance Armstrong’s book it’s not about the bike! I’m sure it will motivate me and pull me throu this time! Livestrong yuvstrong!” Yuvraj wrote.
On Wednesday, the cricketer rejected reports that he had undergone surgery, tweeting “I’m just on medication!”
He has not played competitive cricket since November, when he took part in two of the three home Tests against the West Indies, missing India’s current tour of Australia.
Yuvraj was unavailable for the ongoing triangular one-day series in Australia and also opted out of the Twenty20 Indian Premier League (IPL) which starts in April.
Yuvraj, who has not played a one-day international since the World Cup final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai last year, has so far scored 8,051 runs in 274 matches with 13 centuries.
He has also made 1,775 runs in 37 Tests since making his international debut in 2000.
