New Delhi: Yuvraj Singh’s father and former cricketer Yograj Singh spoke about his son’s ongoing battle with cancer and said the cricketer was responding well to the treatment in the United States.

“Yuvi is recovering well from treatment for cancer in USA. And the doctors there say he will come back stronger,” Yograj said.

Yuvraj’s tumour that was detected in October last year was first thought to be benign has been found to be malignant. He is being treated by the same doctor who treated legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 testicular cancer in 1996. The cyclist recovered to go on to win the sport’s most prestigious race, the Tour de France, an unprecedented seven times.

Yuvraj’s ailment was diagnosed at the first stage. “He is responding well to treatment. In fact the doctor keeps asking him if he belongs to a very strong bloodline,” Yuvraj’s father said.

Yograj, who is a former cricketer and an actor, said that Yuvraj’s treatment might take 4-6 months or even a year. “The doctors are of the opinion that this treatment may take 4-6 months or even a year. He might get well by March. The doctors are saying that Yuvraj will go back as a new champion,” he said.

“The doctor has told Yuvraj ‘I will send you from here as a new champion and you will be stronger than before, a thing like this cancer won’t exist for you anymore that is my promise’,”Yograj added.

“Chemotherapy is done, more than the chemotherapy he is on medicines,” he added.

Yograj also thanked the Indian Cricket Board for insisting Yuvraj to undergo further check-ups in the US and acting like a father to his son.

The BCCI also wished Yuvraj a speedy recovery and requested the media to show respect to the privacy of Yuvraj and his family.

Earlier, Sports Minister Ajay Maken said the government will help Yuvraj, as the nation prays for his speedy recovery. “Wish Yuvraj a speedy recovery! Asking officials to find the quantum and nature of help required. Government shld & will help him,” Maken tweeted last night.

The 30-year-old left-hander has been in US since last month and is currently undergoing chemotherapy in the Cancer Research Institute in Boston.

Wishes and prayers are pouring in from all corners of the world.

Yuvraj’s mother Shabnam Singh told a national daily on Sunday that her son was doing fine. “He is fine and will be back soon on the field. Don’t worry,” she said.

His physiotherapist Dr Jatin Chaudhary also assured that the ailment was curable and the batsman would be fit to resume cricket in May.

“It is a rare tumour and is cancerous but it has been detected in stage one itself. Doctors had to decide whether to continue medication or go for chemotherapy but since parts of the tumour are just above the artery of his heart, there was a danger that while running it could burst. But it is 100 per cent curable,” Chaudhary said.

“The doctors decided that he would have to undergo chemotherapy and he travelled to the US on January 26. End of March, he would undergo a CT scan and should recover by then. After that it is just some rehabilitation in April before he is fit to be back on the field in May,” he added.

“Thankfully no surgery is required, he is already a lot better than what he was and can’t wait to be back on the cricket field,” he said.

Chaudhary said the detection of cancer was delayed by wrong diagnosis by an Indian hospital.

“His first biopsy report was stolen from his car and the second from a hospital, I don’t want to name, did not give the correct diagnosis. It was a Russian doctor who detected the cancer and after consultations with doctors in US, it was decided that Yuvraj would undergo chemotherapy,” he said.

“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,” he added.

Yuvraj has played 37 Tests, scoring 1775 runs at an average of 34.80.

He has 8051 runs at an average of 37.62 from his 274-match ODI career, the highlight of which was his stellar role in India’s World Cup triumph last year.