"He always dreamed of the India jersey": Prince Yadav's father on son's India ODI call-up
New Delhi, May 21
Prince Yadav's father, Ram Niwas Yadav, expressed immense joy after his son's maiden ODI call-up for the national side, calling it a moment even bigger than the Indian Premier League.
He shared that the entire community celebrated the achievement and that the family also visited temples in gratitude. He recalled Prince's long journey, noting that he played with tennis balls until the age of 17-18, often funding his own cricket expenses and even skipping tuition to buy equipment. Despite initial encouragement to focus on studies due to tough competition, Prince remained committed to cricket from a young age.
His father said Prince's lifelong dream was to represent India, and his emotional phone call announcing his selection marked a proud and unexpected milestone for the entire family.
"The whole community gathered. We also visited the temples. It was a complete surprise, even bigger than the IPL. His hard work paid off. From childhood, he wanted to play cricket, though I encouraged him to focus on studies because competition is tough. He played mostly with tennis balls until the age of 17-18, winning trophies from Surat, Mumbai, and often covering his own expenses. He would skip tuition, using the money for cricket gear instead. His interest shifted fully to cricket around the age of 10-11. His dream was always to wear the India jersey. Yesterday he called me, saying, Papa, I've been selected for India. It was a huge surprise and a moment of great joy," Ram Niwas Yadav told ANI.
Yadav recieved his maiden ODI call-up as the BCCI named their squads that will take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test and three ODIs on Tuesday. Shubman Gill will continue to lead India in both series. KL Rahul has been appointed vice-captain for the one-off Test, while Shreyas Iyer returns to the ODI squad and will once again serve as Gill's deputy.
This will be India's return to action following their Men's T20 World Cup 2026 triumph at home and after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League.
Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma*, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya*, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Beautiful story but I can't help noticing - the selectors keep picking the same old faces like Rohit and Virat for ODIs. Shouldn't we be blooding more youngsters like Prince into the main team? But happy for him nonetheless, a truly inspiring journey from humble beginnings. 🇮🇳
Skipping tuition to buy cricket gear - that's the level of dedication! 💪 As someone who grew up in a small town, I know how tough it is to balance academics and sports with limited resources. Prince Yadav gives hope to all those young boys and girls playing in gullies with tennis balls. India's talent pool is truly deep!
Incredible story! The contrast between IPL glitz and this raw grass-roots journey is stark. From tennis balls to the national squad - it's what cricket in India is all about. His father's quote about the call-up being "bigger than IPL" really puts things in perspective. Wishing Prince a successful career ahead!
Ram Niwas Yadav's pride is infectious! 😊 The whole community celebrating, temple visits, the emotional call - this is quintessential Indian family moment. However, I wonder if Prince will actually get a game given the strong batting lineup. Hope the management gives him a fair chance to show his mettle. 🙏
This is why I love Indian cricket - stories like Prince Yadav's remind us that talent can emerge from anywhere, not just fancy academies. Tennis ball cricket in India is a whole different beast, and those who master it often have exceptional hand-eye coordination. Great selection move by BCCI to reward domestic
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