<p>Despite spending most of his childhood practicing on 11-yard grass tracks that serve as infrastructure in his hometown of Beed, Sachin Dhas’ father felt he was destined to make it big on the 22-yard strip. His mother, a police officer, didn’t want him to concentrate only on cricket.</p>
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<p>Dhas, who is 19 years old, is one of the team’s most promising newcomers as they represent India at the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa. As the team’s designated finisher, he has amassed 294 runs with a strike rate over 100, demonstrating excellent game awareness.</p>
<p>His 96-run effort on Tuesday, together with captain Uday Saharan’s 81, was crucial in enabling India to make it into the age-group grand final for a sixth time running.</p>
<p>“Over here, you only have half pitches (in Beed).” The most well-known coach in the region and the one who molded Dhas’ early years, Sheikh Azhar, expressed his excitement. “Sachin came here with his father when he was four and a half years old, and even before going to South Africa, he trained on half turfs.”</p>
<p>Sachin’s climb to prominence from junior India’s stable should not come as a surprise for a nation that consistently develops exceptional cricket talent—often not because of the system but in spite of it.</p>
<p>Sachin, who takes his name from the legendary Mumbaikar who is strongly associated with Indian cricket, is a fan of Virat Kohli, the contemporary great whom he may have seen more closely even if he dons the number 10 shirt, which was in every way Tendulkar’s.</p>
<p>When PTI contacted his father Sanjay to find out how Sachin was developed into the bright young genius he is now, he beamingly said, “I named him after Sachin Tendulkar when he was born in 2005 because I was a huge fan but he also likes Virat Kohli a lot.”</p>
<p>“Koi dost nahi hai, Sachin ka.” Hello, main, uska dost hun. Koi janamdin kahin gaya nahi, koi shaadi. Focus is hated by cricketers, and they say, “He has no friends.” His only buddy is me. In order to ensure that he never loses concentration, I have never let him to attend weddings or birthday celebrations,” he said.</p>
<p>The pleased father said, “Uski mummy police mein hain toh discipline hai (His mom is in police and there is discipline in him)” as his phone continued to ring in celebration of his son’s triumph at the major event.</p>
<p>Sachin bats at number six, where he can either take huge smashes in long overs or come in handy after a top-order collapse, as he did in the semifinals when he came to the crease with the scoreboard showing 31/4. A master lesson in batting under duress ensued.</p>
<p>Wrist rolling during pull shots against pacers and perfect body balance during slog sweeps against spinners may seem effortless, but they are the result of years of work and a lack of enjoyment in life compared to other youngsters.</p>
<p>Not to mention that his mother worked long, demanding hours in a high-risk profession that prevented her from spending time with her family.</p>
<p>His mother Surekha joined the Maharashtra Police in 2010 and is now an Assistant Police Inspector (API).</p>
<p>She never intended for Sachin to be solely focused on cricket, and her working hours as a police officer are flexible. We would argue, but I understood that my kid would only pursue a career in cricket,” Sanjay reminisced.</p>
<p>He smiled, “Eventually she got it and now she watches his World Cup games on her phone in between duty.”</p>
<p>When asked how long he practices, Dhas senior said, “I practice for four hours in the morning and three and a half hours in the evening, which includes working out at the gym.” There are seven and a half hours in a day. I have to acknowledge his coach, Azhar. We wouldn’t have seen this day without him.</p>
<p>While talking about his son’s game, Sanjay also exclaimed about how close they are.</p>
<p>He stated, “He still sleeps next to me, and I am his company when he wants to watch a movie or eat at a restaurant.</p>
<p>There was a period in Maharashtra when players from Pune and the surrounding areas would represent the state team, but more recently, a more transparent selection procedure has made it simpler for gifted individuals to establish themselves.</p>
<p>“The age group state team selection process was not as difficult as the training portion of Beed. To my kid, the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) has shown fairness. He excelled in every endeavor and was consistently chosen based on his merit.</p>
<p>Sachin’s career will not end at the U-19 level; he has a challenging senior cricket introduction ahead of him.</p>
<p>“My kid will play for the senior squad very soon, I trust, with God’s grace and everyone’s best wishes. I know he will have to face significantly harsher exams. That is the day that we are all waiting for, Sanjay added.</p>
<p>For now, Fow is concentrating on ambitious preparations for the Under-19 World Cup championship.</p>
<p>Sanjay said, “We are going to set up a big screen at the Academy ground where we will watch with the 200 trainees.”</p>
Fulfilling His Father’s Dream: Beed’s Little Sachin Lives Up to Name
