LSG's Thakur: From idolising Dhoni to living father's dream

The pacer lost his father on his 25th birthday last year

-  PRATYUSH RAJ

Yash Thakur spent his 25th birthday performing the last rites of his father, who died after prolonged illness. The youngster missed the first two Ranji Trophy matches due to the rituals but joined the Vidarbha team for the third match, and played a pivotal role in them reaching the final.

"Ek aansu nahi giraye hai is lade me. (He didn't shed a drop of tear)," an emotional Kajal Thakur, his mother, tells The Indian Express.

"He completed the shraadh sanskaar with a smile on his face. 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," says Yash's mother.

When Yash was packing his kit to join the team, his mother Kajal and elder sister Shweta would suggest skipping one more match if he isn't readyyet butYash was adamant as he had promised his late father on his deathbed that he would not lose his "focus".

"Papa ke liye kar raha hun, wo yahi chahte tey (I am doing this for father, he wanted me to play)," recalls Kajal.

"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. My husband would keep pointing out the mistakes and he would listen like a good student. I am sure he misses him a lot.

He never talks about his father in front of me but after taking five wickets, he told his sister that he missed his father today," she says.