5 cricketers who made successful comebacks after battling cancer

Athletes are often thought of as warriors, invincibles, for they excel at their sport. However, throughout history, many athletes have had to live with diseases, sometimes even being forced to cut their careers short despite not having made a name for themselves yet. Cricketers being no exception. In the hectic cricketing schedule, more and more cricketers are susceptible to not just physical injuries, but the psychological challenges that are part and parcel of the game.

Recently news broke out that Michael Carberry, the Hampshire and former England batsman, has been diagnosed with a cancerous tumour. This was particularly shocking, considering Carberry had represented Hampshire in a T20 game against Essex just days ago Carberry’s plight prompted an outpouring of support from the cricket fraternity including teammates and opponents, with ‘good friend’ Shane Warne leading the way.

As he prepares to fight the illness, he can take heart from the stories of courage of cricketers who fought the disease defiantly, showcasing immense willpower to bounce back from the life-threatening scenarios:

---

5) Michael Clarke

Cricket’s played under sunny skies but what happens when the sun becomes your enemy? Former Australian captain Michael Clarke suffered from melanoma, popularly known as skin cancer.

Clarke was operated on to remove three cancers from his nose and lips, forcing him to miss the test series against West Indies in 2006. After a New South Wales training session, he noticed a small irregular spot on his nose. Without further delaying the process, he took up the Australian Cricketers’ Association’s offer for a free skin screening, while the scans revealed a “low-grade skin cancer”.

Though the skin cancer scare forced Clarke to ditch his baggy green cap for a wide-brimmed floppy hat to offer more protection to his face, he resumed his career without further issues, going on to lead Australia to the summit in test cricket rankings and a World Cup triumph at home.

4) Ashley Noffke

Ashley Noffke chats with Adam Gilchrist on his ODI debut against India in 2008

At face value, Ashley Noffke’s hip injury couldn’t have come at a worse time, dashing all hopes for a potential recall in Australia’s squad for the Ashes. But that may have just saved his life!

While undergoing treatment for an injured hip, playing for Worcestershire during England’s domestic county season in 2008-09, Noffke accidently discovered he had skin cancer. What looked like a harmless mole behind his right knee turned out to be Grade Three Melanoma, the most lethal form of skin cancer.

“The importance of cricket went out the window. The injury was a blessing in disguise.”

The Queensland all-rounder had immediate surgery and recovered after spending a considerable period on the sidelines. Although Noffke had a successful return for his Sheffield Shield side Western Australia, he wasn’t quite able to make a comeback into the Australian side, eventually retiring in 2010.

3) Dave Callaghan

Dave Callaghan scored a whirlwind 169* in Centurion on his return to cricket

As a young cricketer from Cape Province, Dave Callaghan went about charting his path into international cricket. Having made his debut for the Proteas, his plans were thrown off-track when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in September 1991, forcing him to miss out on the World Cup in 1992.

Having fought the disease, Callaghan returned to the sport after a year, launching a ferocious assault on the New Zealand bowlers in his first outing, scoring an unbeaten 169 from 143 balls – a South African record at that time. Not content, he went on to take his career-best three for 32 to help seal the match in South Africa’s favour.

2) Jai Prakash Yadav

JP Yadav fields off his own bowling against New Zealand in Harare

As a young 21-year-old from Madhya Pradesh, Jai Pakash Yadav was all set to be the latest sensation in the Indian team, only for his world to fall apart as he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour. He felt that he would not be able to play cricket ever again, a sport that meant everything to him.

He underwent three rounds of chemotherapy and lost 15 kilos in the process, but continued his fight against the cancer. A braveheart, JP, who was determined to make a comeback, played for Madhya Pradesh within a month of his third round of treatment. After recovering completely, he became a prolific player for Railways, even going on to win the Ranji Trophy title.

The lifelong dream of playing for India soon became a reality. Recognized for his consistent performance in the domestic circuit, Yadav was called up for the home series against West Indies, going on to represent India in a further 12 ODI’s.

1) Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh staged a remarkable comeback to the Indian team, mere months after undergoing chemotherapy treatment

In 2011, Yuvraj Singh often ran out of breath, threw up and spent sleepless nights. Then, he won the World Cup for India. With 362 runs, 15 wickets and the Player of the Tournament award, life couldn’t have been any better on the cricket pitch. However, far from the public glare, Yuvraj suffered and battled an unknown illness.

Months after the World Cup euphoria, he was diagnosed with lung cancer and taken to Boston for chemotherapy. Yuvraj Singh fought – and won. After over 10 weeks of treatment, the southpaw won his personal battle, defeating the dreaded disease and making a full recovery. The whole ordeal left him a changed man.

"When I got cancer, I asked god why me. But then, when I got Man of the Tournament prize, I didn't say why me. So these things are part of life and you have to take them in your stride."

A month later, he smashed his way to 208 off 241 balls in a Duleep Trophy match, showing glimpses of the vintage Yuvraj Singh. Later that year, he was back again in India colours in a T20 against New Zealand in Chennai. It was pointless on the night that India lost by a run, for an even bigger battle had been won.