'Ek Aansu Nahi Giraye Hain Iss Ladke Ne' - Yash Thakur's mother emotes on son's focus despite father's demise

Young Yash Thakur's journey to the Indian Premier League has been nothing short of inspirational. The 25-year-old Vidarbha pacer, who lost his father on his birthday last year, is now making rounds with his brilliant performances in the IPL 2024 season. From battling personal tragedies to overcoming doubts about his cricketing career, Thakur's story is truly remarkable.

As a child, his mother Kajal Thakur had envisioned him becoming a singer, but Yash's true passion was in cricket. It was watching MS Dhoni's famous World Cup-winning six in 2011 that motivated him to pursue the sport.

“After the first day, the teacher said, ‘Please don’t bring him from tomorrow. He doesn’t talk, he is so shy, and I don’t think he can sing’. The teacher was very kind, in reality, he was a terrible singer,” Kajal told The Indian Express.

Overcoming his initial struggles as a wicketkeeper-batter, Yash transitioned into a fast bowler under the guidance of his first coach, Praveen Hinganikar. Despite missing out on the 2018 U-19 World Cup due to a back injury, Yash remained focused, rising through the ranks of Vidarbha's age-group cricket and earning a spot in their Ranji Trophy-winning team in 2017-18.

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The true test of Yash came when he lost his father, Ravi Singh Thakur, on his 25th birthday last year. The pacer completed the last rites and joined the Vidarbha team for their Ranji Trophy campaign, determined to fulfill his late father's dream.

“Ek aansu nahi giraye hain iss ladke ne. (He didn’t even shed a drop of a tear), He completed the shraadh sanskaar (last rites). He managed everything single-handedly. We were all surprised when he joined Vidarbha’s Ranji Trophy team, we were not expecting it, but he motivated himself. God knows how he managed that,” Kajal added further.

“Yash was very close to his father and even during his last days, they used to talk a lot about cricket. After every match, he used to have long chats with his father,” she added.

I dedicate this five-wicket haul to my late father: Thakur

Thakur who represents Lucknow Super Giants in IPL played a key role in LSG's 33-run victory over Gujarat Titans on Sunday, April 07. He ended with the figures of 5/30 to guide his team to a crucial victory.

Reflecting on his achievement, Thakur dedicated the Player of the Match award to his late father, saying, “My father is no more. I am dedicating this award to him. He wanted to see me getting a five-wicket haul, so this one is for him,” he said in the post-match presentation.

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Furthermore, Yash's childhood coach and former Vidarbha captain, Hinganikar, praised his relentless work ethic and team-first mentality, stating, “He is a complete team man. He always bowls in the death overs in white-ball for Vidarbha. In the red-ball, he comes as a first change, where he bowls long spells.”