The ongoing Delhi Premier League has been a roller-coaster ride for Yash Dhull so far. He started the season as captain for Central Delhi Kings before handing over the armband to Jonty Sidhu. Dhull featured as an Impact Player, changed his batting position and even took a rest from the side’s fifth fixture of the T20 league.
In five innings, the former India U-19 and Delhi skipper managed just 93 runs at an average of under 20 and a strike rate of 113.41. The commentators time and again mentioned how he has looked rusty in the tournament, and felt the youngster is not looking 100%. After another ordinary outing on Tuesday, the right-hander said he is returning after a recovery but didn’t dwell on it.
“Kuch cheeze hui hai past mai… mai recover karke aaya hu. Thoda time lag raha hai but mai positive hu aur apne game ke liye 100% duga (certain things have happened in the past, and I have returned after a recovery. It’s taking time but I am positive and will give 100% for my game)," Dhull had said after the afternoon fixture vs East Delhi Riders where he was dismissed for 8 off 11 balls.
Life has been tough for the 21-year-old in the last couple of months as he had to undergo heart surgery on the advice of the medical team of the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Dhull was attending a camp in Bengaluru a couple of months back when the medical team, during their routine check-up, spotted an anomaly.
The diagnosis revealed a hole in the heart which required surgery and Dhull underwent the procedure in Delhi. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) kept close tabs on the youngster during the period and remained in touch even during his recovery period.
“During the NCA check-up, the team, after consulting with the set of doctors, advised him to undergo surgery for the hole in his heart. He was attending a camp with the rest of the emerging players a couple of months back in Bengaluru," says Dhull’s childhood coach Pradeep Kochar.
Dhull’s father Vijay added that it was a condition by birth and he underwent a surgical procedure to fix the issue.
“It wasn’t anything serious. The hole in the heart was a condition from birth and the NCA team advised a minor surgical procedure. He underwent that in Delhi only and the BCCI continued to keep a check on him during the period," says Dhull’s father.
The youngster, who has been on national selectors’ radar, is getting better by the day and his coach feels there shouldn’t be any problem for him to endure the grind of the longer formats going forward. The NCA has already given him a fit-to-play certificate and Kochar asserts it’s a matter of time before he returns to old ways.
“The NCA has given him the certificate of fitness, so there shouldn’t be an issue in any of the formats going forward. During the DPL, he took a rest from one of the games because the humidity was very high. Even going forward, there shouldn’t be any problem for him to play the Ranji Trophy and the longer formats," says Kochar.
‘Brave’ foot forward
Dhull’s DPL team is aware of his condition and a member of the support staff is very happy to see the effort. There have been ups and downs – both cricket and fitness-wise – but Dhull’s determination has impressed those in the dugout.
“There have been ups and downs with regards to cricket and fitness but he has put on a brave-hearted show. Most support staff joined the team after the player draft but now they are aware about his condition," says a member of the Central Delhi support staff.
Is he close to peak fitness?
“It will take some time but he is taking the steps in the right direction. There have been occasions where he has been moody, and understandably so, but all in all, he has been very focused on returning to old ways. So there shouldn’t be a major roadblock there," adds the member of support staff.
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