Yash Dhull has been scoring runs for fun in the ongoing Delhi Premier League, scoring 435 runs in eight innings at an average of 87, while striking at 167.31 for Central Delhi Kings. Dhull sat down exclusively to chat with India TV about his heart surgery, the comeback and the learnings.
“It was around this time last year, I don’t remember it exactly and I actually don’t want to, as I want to put it behind me. But I didn’t have any other option apart from surgery,” an anxious Yash Dhull tries to recall the timeline of his heart surgery as he sat down to chat with IndiaTV exclusively on the sidelines of the Delhi Premier League (DPL). Since Virat Kohli, the progression and promotion from junior cricket to the highest level hasn’t been auspicious for Under-19 World Cup-winning captains of India and it seemed like Dhull would be another name added to that list, lost somewhere in oblivion.
Not playing for his IPL franchise for the whole season despite being in the squad, not getting picked in the IPL auction and falling way down the pecking order because of lack of consistency, the fears reemerged for everyone seeing Dhull’s progression and the 22-year-old had reasons for that. A life-threatening 17mm hole in his heart was discovered at around this time in July-August last year and despite his reservations, Dhull had to go under the knife to potentially prolong his career.
The mind and body not being in sync
“I pestered the doctors about a possible second option, but there wasn’t any, so I went with it. Until almost a month after the surgery, I couldn’t get out of my bed,” Dhull added as he mentioned that there was some very important cricket coming up, but he had to focus on his health. “I did get back to playing slowly and gradually, but the body wasn’t responding as I would have liked to because of the medicines. The heart rate and blood pressure used to shoot up, so after consulting the doctors, I had to back off because I wasn’t able to push myself.”
The Delhi batter had to bide his time on the sidelines before attaining full fitness. So he gave himself a deadline of about 45 days to be able to return to full fitness and hopefully get back into the reckoning for the Ranji Trophy. Dhull lost his captaincy but was still able to put up a decent season of 444 runs in 10 innings at an average of 49.3, scoring a couple of centuries and a fifty. A captain changed mid-season amid multiple issues Delhi cricket was going through, but Dhull was able to keep his head.
Focus on the present and perform
Not finding any takers in the IPL auction was a bit of a jolt for Dhull, who was on his comeback trail but it also made him a lot more focused. “I was disappointed, naturally… but what is in my control? I have to perform, as simple as that! So, whatever opportunity I am getting, I have to perform in that, if I have to make a comeback. So, these are small-little goals and aims which I set for myself rather than thinking about too far ahead,” Dhull said, who acknowledged that he was staying either in the past or thinking about the future too much, thereby letting the present go to dust.
Staying glued to the bench in the 2024 edition of the IPL for the Delhi Capitals didn’t affect him as much. “I think you have to wait for your right time. The advice I got was just to keep myself ready for any potential opportunity and look to improve my game,” he said. The constant ignorance didn’t affect him mentally even a bit but it sure came as a huge learning curve for a still very young sportsperson, who is in his early 20s. So coming into the second season of the Delhi Premier League, Dhull knew how critical it was for him.ย
In the first game of the season for the Central Delhi Kings after being bought back by the franchise in the auction, Dhull just reminded everyone that he is still there. Scoring the match-winning runs against the North Delhi Strikers, completing his century, Dhull roared like a lion. He knew how much it meant to him, how much he cared for those runs, that performance. “I think after my surgery, I sort of fell back a bit [in the pecking order] as I didn’t play much. So I got a bit emotional. After my surgery, I can play, which in itself is a big achievement, so the emotions automatically took over me,” Dhull said.
Since then, the right-hander has amassed three fifties and one more century while striking at 167. The Kings have already made it to the playoffs and Dhull now just doesn’t want to take a step back. He has evidently worked on his power games and hitting ability and now subconsciously is preparing for a red-ball return through the Duleep Trophy, having been named in the North Zone squad.
There is an IPL auction scheduled to take place later in the year. There’s a whole domestic season left for Dhull, but his next focus is on the next match for the Kings, which is a tiny mindset shift he has been able to make. ”ย It will be an excellent opportunity for me, having gotten a chance to play the tournament again and hopefully, it can be the start of a new innings for me. Like I said, if I keep performing, the other avenues [India A tours] and opportunities will start opening for me automatically,” an optimistic Dhull signed off.