Bengaluru: Not long ago, Mangesh Yadav was a young boy playing bowling in a small courtyard in Chhindwara with little more than a dream and the faith of his family. Today, the 23-year-old fast bowler is in high demand with a ₹5.2 crore contract from reigning IPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru – a journey marked by struggle, sacrifice and sheer determination.
Behind this success story is the tireless efforts of his father Ramavadh Yadav, a truck driver who often spent sleepless nights thinking about how he could finance his son’s cricketing ambitions. Life on the street was anything but easy.
“I had to fight a lot for money. Sometimes I couldn’t sleep at night thinking about how to raise money for him. The life of a truck driver is no life at all. You don’t have time to eat or bathe. When the truck is full, you worry about unloading it, and when it’s empty, you worry about filling it up,” he recalls.
Mangesh grew up in Borgaon village and played cricket in humble surroundings. His talent first came to light at local tennis ball tournaments, where his uncle saw his potential and encouraged him to move to Delhi. There he started training under coach Phool Chand Sharma – a decision that changed his life.
“If I play cricket today, it will be because of Phool Chand sir,” Mangesh said.
The first few days in Delhi were tough. His father had somehow gotten ₹24,000 for him, but the money was barely enough for a month. From then on it was a constant struggle to find the funds for training and survival.
Coach Sharma still remembers those days clearly. “He was staying with someone in Delhi. I saw that he was a good bowler but he didn’t even have enough to eat. I told him to come and stay in the hostel. That’s where his journey really started. For me, talent matters more than money. If a player is good, he can come, eat, stay and train.”
Like many young athletes, Mangesh also had moments of distraction. He admits that there was a period when he lost focus. That changed after a stern warning from his coach.
“I was starting to get lazy. One day the Lord told me to pack my bags and go home. After that, I realized what I was losing. I thought about my family – my father worked so hard – and that changed everything,” he said.
He returned with renewed commitment, fighting in DDCA league games and local tournaments and even securing a place in the UP U19 camp. But despite his efforts, opportunities at the next level remained elusive.
“There were times when he went to selection camps and was told his name had been called by mistake. Those were very difficult days. I felt helpless, like I had made a mistake by supporting his dream,” his father said.
The breakthrough finally came in the Madhya Pradesh T20 League, where Mangesh took 14 wickets in just six games at an impressive average of 12.00. This performance put him firmly on the radar.
Soon after, he represented Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket and shared the dressing room with Rajat Patidar. It didn’t take long for the big call from Royal Challengers Bengaluru to arrive – the moment the family had been waiting for.
In the RCB Tests, Mangesh faced a completely different challenge. His skills were tested by Dinesh Karthik in various game situations.
“He said to me, ‘You’re playing well. Now show me this ball.’ He had me bowl with the new ball in the fifth, tenth, fourteenth, eighteenth and twentieth overs. It was surprising to see how a player thinks at that level,” recalls Mangesh.
After being selected at the auction, his first instinct was to go back to his coach and thank him.
“When I came back, I just wanted to meet him and thank him for trusting me and investing so much in me,” he said.
For his father, this moment is about more than just money or recognition – it’s about dignity.
“When I supported him, people said I was an idiot and my son was ruined. Today I am just happy. I can walk with pride,” he said, suppressing his emotions.
Reflecting on the journey, he added: “I never thought a truck driver could get so much respect. Mangesh did more for me than I could ever ask for.”
From a humble courtyard in Chhindwara to the grand stage of the IPL, Mangesh Yadav’s story is a reminder that dreams, backed by hard work and faith, can truly transform lives.
