It was more of a sense of relief than happiness on Yash Dhull’s face after he reached to his century on Day 3 against Tamil Nadu in the second round of Ranji fixture.
The 21-year-old battled cramps on his left arm, struggled with back spasms, and with the wickets falling at other end like nine pins, Dhull held the fort for Delhi. Yash smoked M Mohammed straight down the ground for a six to get to his sixth first-class century. There was no over-the-top celebration from the Delhi boy. He removed his helmet, kissed his bat, received a standing ovation from the dressing room, bowed down on his knees and sat there for a few seconds before an injured Pranshu Vijayran hobbled from the non-striker end and gave him a warm hug.
If not for Pranshu, Dhull couldn’t have got to his landmark. The all-rounder with heavily strapped ribs and left ankle hobbled down the stairs of the Virat Kohli pavilion after S Ajith Ram pinned Himanshu Chauhan. Pranshu got injured on the opening day, and Delhi lost their opener Dhruv Kaushik (split webbing) on the second day. Once Chauhan got out, it looked like Dhull would remain stranded on 95 and he pleaded towards the dressing room to send anyone, who could just stand and let him complete his century.
Fighting Century 💪
Yash Dhull played some cracking shots on his way to a splendid unbeaten knock of 103*(189)
Watch 📽️ his impressive innings 🔽#RanjiTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBankhttps://t.co/VpBBnXJ0cL
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) October 20, 2024
Dhull remained on 103 as Delhi ended the day’s play on 264 for 8. They are still trailing by 410 runs and are one batter short. With 98 overs to bowl, Tamil Nadu will be pushing for an innings win on the final day.
“It was a very important knock for me. I am playing after the surgery. Post-surgery, It was kind of a new beginning for me. I was motivated to do well,” said an emotional Dhull after the end of the day’s play.
“It indeed is a fresh innings. It felt like taking a fresh guard. I had visualised about hitting a century so many times during my recovery,” he said.
It has been a rollercoaster ride for Dhull in the last few couple of years. Dhull captained India to the 2022 U-19 World Cup triumph. He made his Ranji Trophy debut in February 2022 upon his arrival from the Caribbean and made two hundreds in as many innings on his first-class debut against Tamil Nadu. He was named captain of Delhi Ranji team for the 2023-24 season but was sacked following the team’s loss to Puducherry in the last season’s Ranji Trophy opener. His batting technique came under scrutiny during the four games he played for Delhi Capitals in the IPL. The final nail in the coffin was when a small hole was detected in Dhull’s heart when routine scans were held during the U-23 high-performance camp at the NCA in June, earlier this year.
“It was minor, but it was by birth. I had played cricket all my life without knowing about it. Bhagwaan ka haath tha (It was all god’s hand),” he said.
Dhull underwent the procedure in Delhi in the month of July and made his return to competitive cricket in August during the inaugural Delhi Premier League.
“I got the surgery done very late. Generally, the surgery is done right after the birth of a child. However, I got to know that was crucial,” he said.
What a way to get to your 💯👏
Yash Dhull smashes a glorious straight 6⃣ to bring up his century 🙌
A fantastic knock under pressure 💪#RanjiTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/NyF4apNoHU pic.twitter.com/TRMa1MdzNF
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) October 20, 2024
“I don’t have any restrictions. I have been given a clearance to play by the NCA. I am fresh and fit.” he said.
Dhull walked out to bat after Washington Sundar provided Tamil Nadu with the first breakthrough. Washington, who has been added to India’s squad for the second Test in Pune, removed make-shift opener Harsh Tyagi. It was a classical off-spinner dismissal, a flighted delivery, which dipped and the southpaw prodded forward, it induced the outside edge and Baba Indrajith took a sharp catch at the first slip.
Tyagi’s wicket triggered Delhi’s collapse. From 74 for no loss, Delhi were reeling at 103 for 5 at lunch break.
Credit must go to the Tamil Nadu pace trio off Gurjapneet Singh, Sonu Yadav, and Mohammed, who bowled a disciplined length on a batting track and didn’t give away any easy runs to the Delhi batters. Delhi bowlers had only 11 maiden overs to show in 158.2 overs, they bowled. On the other end, Gurjapneet bowled five on the trot in his first spell of six over itself. In the 97 overs they have sent down so far, Tamil Nadu bowlers have bowled 25 maidens.
After the fall of the first wicket, Tamil Nadu’s stand-in skipper N Jagadeesan rotated his bowlers extremely well. With Dhull at the crease, he immediately brought his pacers back. Mohammed dismissed a watchful Sanat Sangwan. Gurjapneet ended the painstaking stay of Delhi captain Himmat Singh, who departed without scoring. Mohammed removed last match centurion Jonty Sidhu and then Sonu Yadav found the outside edge of debutant Mayank Yadav, who failed to open his account.
Dhull got an able partner in another debutant Pranav Rajvanshi. The duo put on a feisty 75-run stand for the sixth wicket before Washington got the better of Rajvanshi with 18-year-old Andre Siddarth taking a sharp catch at short leg.
Dhull upped the ante once the new ball was taken. He greeted Gurjapneet with three boundaries. Navdeep Saini’s blows also helped Delhi cross the 200-run mark.
After the fall of Saini’s wicket, Dhull showed a great amount of composure while batting with tailender Himanshu Chauhan. He farmed the strike and took the calculated risks to get into the nervous nineties. He left in despair after Chauhan’s departure with even umpires unsure whether Pranshu will walk out to bat or not. Dhull celebrated Pranshu’s arrival. He pumped a fist in the air, had a small conversation with Pranshu and finished the job with a six.
The knock indeed came at a time when the youngster’s dwindling career needed a resurrection. He fought for every single run like he did on the hospital bed during those dreadful fifteen days of procedure.
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