Dad’s ‘sacrifice’ pays off for new U-19 skipper | Cricket News – Times of India

It was a moment to savour for the Dhull family in Janakpuri on Friday morning as Yash Dhull was named India’s U-19 captain for the upcoming Asia Cup in the UAE. Yash is the latest Delhi cricketer to lead the junior squad, entering a club that includes the likes of Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant.
Yash, an aggressive middle-order batter, says: “Just start hi kar raha hoon (I am just starting out)”. He has been leading Delhi from his U-16 days and feels “if I keep playing sincerely, I will reach some good level”.
Father Vijay Dhull, now an executive with a cosmetic brand, says: “You have to make certain compromises if you want your son to build a career in cricket in a city like Delhi. I had to make sure I gave Yash enough time so he would stay focused and not stray. My career was secondary. So, I quit my regular job”.

Grandpa’s pension helped run new U-19 skipper’s household
Yash’s desire and ambition to become a cricketer was non-negotiable for the Dhull family. “I don’t remember much but when I was very young my family had to go through a tough time to support me,” he says.
Father Vijay goes on to add: “I had to ensure he got the best kit and gear to play from an early age. I gave him the best of English willow bats. He didn’t have just one bat, I kept upgrading them. We had cut down on our expenses. My father was an army man. The pension that he received was used to run the household. Yash would always wonder how we were managing it.”
Yash says cricket has always been his way of life. He is watching cricket all day on TV or his phone. He doesn’t have a role model. “Anyone who plays at the international level is good enough to learn from. I follow everyone’s game closely. I don’t copy anybody, but everyone is my hero,” he says.
The family was always invested in making Yash a cricketer. Vijay says it was his wife who noticed a four-year-old’s ball sense and interest in cricket. Then the parents and grandfather realized that the boy could be turned into a cricketer.
He was taken to a local academy at Bharati College at a tender age before moving to Bal Bhawan school’s academy when he was 11 years old. At the age of 12, Yash had represented Delhi in U-14s. The family realised he was on the right path and academics could safely take a backseat.
A match-saving unbeaten 185 against Punjab in a U-16 match gave Yash the confidence that he could prosper at a higher level of cricket.
Vijay would give him throwdowns beyond regular practice hours. And that habit came to Yash’s aid when the pandemic hit last year. Vijay decided to set up nets on their terrace. “He would talk to his coach Rajesh Nagar over phone and share videos. I used to go to an academy as a kid myself. I know the basics of training. I would give him practice in the nets on the terrace. We worked on his inside-out shot over covers. He plays it with ease now,” Vijay says.
As Yash gets ready to join the India U-19 camp at NCA in Bengaluru from today, his family has drilled into his mind that the journey has only started. “We don’t talk about cricket at home beyond his practice hours. But what we have told him is to stay grounded. So many players play U-19 cricket and then they fade away,” Vijay says.
Yash is entering the fast lane. He will be exposed to the best of facilities and opportunities. Yet, he knows it’s just the beginning of a journey.
MEET YASH DHULL
Right-hand middle-order bat
Played Delhi under-14s at the age of 12
Captained Delhi U-16s
Captained Delhi U-19s
Captained India U-19 ‘A’ in the recent Challenger Trophy