It’s a dream for all the young upcoming cricketers to interact with some of the legends of the game. Raj Angad Bawa and Harnoor Singh were fortunate enough to get an opportunity to share the stage with the former Indian all-rounder Kapil Dev.
The 1983 World Cup-winning captain quizzed the young duo about their road to success in the U-19 World Cup during the UTCA felicitation ceremony. He also gave them some good advice to succeed in their career.
“Rewards come later for a cricketer. The biggest thing is the motivation to perform better and excel in the long run. One will get respect only till the performance keeps coming, and that should be your goal,” advised Kapil to the youngsters.
The U-19 cricketers have gained popularity through their performances but will need to keep doing well consistently to play at the highest level.
“I have seen the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli. Both matched each other in terms of talent, but Kambli went astray. So your motivation should be to aim for perfection and keep working for that,” said the former Indian captain while talking to both the players.
Getting such tips from one of the greatest cricketers India has ever seen will surely benefit the young duo.
The Man of the Match in the U-19 World Cup final, Bawa was supported by his father Sukhwinder Bawa and sister Sejal Bawa. While Singh was cheered by his father Birinder Singh and grandfather Rajinder Singh during the ceremony.
“A day prior to the U-19 World Cup final, the whole team watched the Bollywood movie 83. Kapil sir has been India’s greatest all-rounder and everybody aspires to be like him,” said Bawa.
It is noteworthy that the youngster was picked by the Punjab Kings (PBKS) side ahead of the IPL 2022 for INR 2 crores.
He also had words of praise for his captain Yash Dhull. “After we tested positive for Covid-19, we would often talk on video call and motivate each other. Skipper Yash Dhull showed full confidence in my abilities. When I gave away 17 runs in my first over against South Africa, he supported me and I claimed four wickets in the match," he added. It is great to see the bond shared by the players.
“The biggest moment for us has been to win the trophy,” said Harnoor. However, he was not disheartened when he went unsold in the IPL 2022 auction. “Right now my focus is on the CK Nayudu Trophy and I believe if I keep performing well, I can play in IPL too one day,” he concluded.