India skipper Rohit Sharma, lovingly called ‘Hitman’ by his fans, is all set to create history as his Blue Army will clash with the Aussies to lift the World Cup 2023 Trophy at the world’s largest cricket stadium in the presence of over 1 lakh spectators in Ahmedabad.
From being not able to afford school fees of Rs 275 to being the Captain of the Indian cricket team, Rohit’s journey is nothing short of remarkable. His approach as the captain of the team and aggressive batting has been the fans’ favourite in this tournament.
His life journey seems like something out of a fairytale. He has been earning applauds from all quarters for his captaincy and explosive batting. Well, his journey wasn’t a bed of roses as he had to go through several obstacles to reach the position that he has achieved now.
Rohit’s cricket journey began in 1999 with a problem that changed his life forever. Rohit was an off-spinner during his school days. His performance caught the eye of coach Dinesh Lad, who was so impressed by his performance that he wanted to talk to his parents.
At that time, Rohit was living with his uncle and grandparents in the Borivali area of Mumbai. When Rohit’s uncle met Dinesh Lad, the coach insisted Rohit be admitted to Swami Vivekanand School. However, his family was so poor that they couldn’t pay Rs 275 for his admission.
Recalling the incident, Dinesh Lad said, “His uncle told me that the school where he was studying charged only Rs 30, and that they couldn’t afford to pay Rs 275. Later, I had to request the director of Swami Vivekanand School for a waiver of school fees. He is the first student for whom I requested a freeship for. The director did ask me why I was supporting this student. But I knew he was bright and played good cricket. I didn’t want to let him go.”
Rest as they say is history. That proved to be the turning point as the young Rohit flourished under the coaching of Dinesh Lad and went on to play the U-19 cricket and domestic cricket before finally breaking into the National Team.