CHENNAI: For the past two weeks or so, R Sanjay Yadav has been a happy man. Why wouldn’t he be? Especially when considering the fact that the 21-year-old cricketer had been roped in by Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders for `10 lakh, at the auctions in Bengaluru last month.
“I was elated after getting the news. It’s a big opportunity for me, especially in terms of learning. I want to make the most of it when it begins (from April 5),” gushes the left-arm spinning all-rounder, who is one among three Tamil Nadu players to be picked at the auctions.
Sanjay’s family is from Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh). Five years after his birth, his father Ram Singh Yadav (a daily-wage painter) and mother Maya Devi (a home-maker) decided to shift to Hosur in search for a better livelihood. It was in Hosur when cricket caught Sanjay’s eye.
Though the sport served as an avenue of entertainment for the budding cricketer in his early years, it assumed a different magnitude when Premnath, his personal coach and mentor, and the Future India Cricket Academy entered his life.
Sanjay had to drop out due to financial constraints, but Premnath wasn’t going to sit around and see a talent being nipped in the bud. He offered to take the youngster under his wings for free, marking the beginning of a promising career on the 22-yards.
As Sanjay climbed the rungs of State cricket, which also helped him get a seat in Loyola College, where he’s currently residing and studying statistics — heads began to turn. That eventually culminated in him being roped in by VB Thiruvallur Veerans for the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL); an event that in retrospect became Sanjay’s professional springboard.
“It was a great experience. The event helped me evolve as a player, and also helped me acclimatise to the pressures that the big stage entails,” remarks Sanjay. A half century against Dindigul Dragons coupled with a sprinkling of crucial, blitzy (his strike-rate at the event was 140) cameos made selectors crinkle their eyes.
“I was a part of the Ranji Trophy probables, but didn’t make it to the main team,” he recalls. But, fate had bigger plans for the young all-rounder — a call-up for the Syed Mushtaq Trophy, which eventually got him the IPL contract.
It’s evident from his story so far that Sanjay wants to make this opportunity count. “I’ve never had the chance to be with India cricketers, not to mention the stars from other countries. If I do get a chance to play, I want to make the most of it, as I want to turn out for the country someday.”