Yashbardhan’s 54 and two wickets steer India U-19 past Australia in Rajkot

On Friday in Rajkot, Yashbardhan Singh Chauhan rescued India U-19 in their first match against Australia U-19, scoring 54 off 34 balls and returning to take two wickets to see the hosts through.

Yashbardhan had been searching for answers after the Sri Lanka tour, when runs dried up in youth ODIs even as India continued to win. He turned to coach Yere Goud and asked, “Why is this happening to me?” Goud told him that failure was part of the game and advised the youngster to ignore the noise and keep believing.

India were precariously placed at 88 for four when Yashbardhan and Anvay Dravid combined to stabilise the innings; Yashbardhan’s 54 from 34 deliveries set up the recovery. He told The Hindu, “I only thought about what I could do at that particular time to support the team,” and added, “I simply wanted to spend some time at the crease and support the team from one end.”

The innings was described in the report as evidence of how far Yashbardhan has progressed since his early days in Gwalior. His father, Anami Singh Chauhan, would travel with him looking for turf wickets.

In the u-13 A.W. Kanmadikar Trophy, Yashbardhan had scored 425, 235 and 391. By 15, he was playing senior division cricket after Chambal Division secretary Tasleem Khan handed him opportunities.

Reflecting on that pathway, he said, “Coming from Chambal and playing senior cricket gave me an exposure,” and added, “It helped me understand how things work at the senior level.” He also said, “One of the biggest reasons I play cricket is to fulfil my father’s dream.”

On his preparation he kept things straightforward: “I do not do anything like rocket science. I just get into my zone.” He reads biographies, writes down thoughts and learns from cricketers he watches.