India’s 2022 U-19 World Cup captain, Yash Dhull, stood out as the lone warrior for Delhi in their second Ranji Trophy match of the season against Tamil Nadu at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Despite Delhi’s precarious position, Dhull’s fighting spirit shone through as he notched his sixth first-class century, marking an incredible comeback to the sport after overcoming a significant health scare earlier this year.
Dhull had a hole detected in his heart, which led to him undergoing a medical procedure. Reflecting on his performance post-surgery, Dhull revealed that the issue had been present since birth but remained undetected until a camp at Bengaluru’s National Cricket Academy (NCA). He emphasized the importance of this century, saying, “This was a very important innings for me because this is after surgery. I have seen a lot, but coming back and playing at this level is a great motivation.”
He explained that his heart condition was a congenital problem typically addressed early in life, but his case had been discovered late. “Normally, the surgery happens after birth. Mine happened very late. Thankfully, it was detected in time because after the age of 35, it could have been dangerous,” Dhull shared. Now, back on the field, he expressed immense gratitude, adding, “I am blessed to be playing again. This is God’s doing.”
Despite Dhull’s heroics, Delhi faces an impending defeat. Tamil Nadu declared their innings after amassing a mammoth 674, led by a double century from Sai Sudharsan and centuries from Washington Sundar and Pradosh Ranjan Paul. At the close of Day 3, Delhi were 274-8, with Dhull unbeaten on 104. However, no other batter from the home team managed to cross the 40-run mark, leaving Delhi on the verge of a heavy loss.
