Muristek
Vinayak Padmadeo
New Delhi, February 6
Yash Dhull's Janakpuri residence was teeming with family, friends and neighbours today, thronging the house to congratulate Vijay Dhull for his son's exploits in the U-19 World Cup.
Yash's leadership qualities, and the natural talent in the team, stood out in India's undefeated run in the tournament. The resolve of the team was tested when six players, including Yash and his deputy Shaik Rasheed, were infected with Covid-19. But the depth of the team saw them through.
Yash knew he was leading a very talented bunch. When asked whether he was nervous to lead this team, which had not played much as a team and had experimented with four different skippers, the 19-year-old denied feeling any nerves. "I am not nervous at all. I have captained many teams before and I know what to do on the field. Besides I know that we will be a hard team to beat," Yash had told this correspondent before embarking on a two-month tour, starting with the U-19 Asia Cup in the UAE.
The teenager learned his ropes in the tough fields of Delhi club cricket, and his coaches noticed early that he had a cricketing brain beyond his years.
Leadership quality
Rajesh Nagar, who runs an academy in Dwarka, where Yash has been training, made Yash the captain of the team in a DDCA league match when he was only 14. Airliner Academy's Pradeep Kochar too saw a similar role for the youngster.
"All of his coaches have told us: 'Your son has a mature cricketing brain'. Pradeep Kochar and even Hrishikesh Kanitkar sir (India U-19 coach) have said that Yash is made for cricket," Vijay said.
Support from home made him battle-ready. His grandfather Jagat Singh, a former armyman, would take the young Yash for training while Vijay himself has played in the DDCA league for a number of clubs, including Subhania.
"I left a job and took up a consultancy role so that I could travel with him for matches. People do not understand it takes a lot of time and hard work to make a player," Vijay said.
"It is not as if I had to struggle a lot. I had played cricket at club level and knew what was required to become a cricketer. We got lucky we got good coaches like Kochar sir to mentor Yash," he said.
Yash is the third Delhi youngster — after Virat Kohli (2008) and Unmukt Chand (2012) — to lead India to U-19 glory, and Vijay feels it's just the beginning.
"His dream is the same as that of many youngsters, to play for the senior team. This U-19 win is a small step towards that dream. I know it will not be easy. However, we are seeing some rewards and hopefully it will be the same in the future," Vijay added.