Not many people know about the lesser-known cricket connection between Team India’s star cricketer Virat Kohli and Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. While everyone is aware of Virat Kohli’s legendary status in cricket, Tejashwi Yadav’s early days as a cricketer are not talked about enough. Recently, Tejashwi himself opened up about this connection in an interview, revealing that at one point in time, he had captained Kohli during their youth cricket days in Delhi.
Tejashwi’s Early Cricket Journey
Tejashwi Yadav, son of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, started his cricket career when his father was the Railway Minister in the central government. His cricket journey began in Delhi, where he played under the Delhi cricket system and was even a part of the Delhi Daredevils squad during the inaugural season of IPL in 2008. However, his cricket career didn’t quite take off, and by 2010, he had quit cricket and shifted his focus toward politics.
Tejashwi Was Kohli’s Captain
In an interesting revelation, Tejashwi Yadav shared that he once captained Virat Kohli in the Delhi Under-15 and Under-19 teams. He mentioned that while Kohli went on to achieve great heights in cricket, few remember that he had played under Tejashwi’s leadership. This anecdote was first shared by Tejashwi nearly a decade ago on Twitter, accompanied by an old picture of him with Virat Kohli.
Tejashwi, now an important political figure, expressed in the interview that people often forget about his cricketing background and the fact that he once led Virat Kohli, who is now regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the world.
The End of Tejashwi’s Cricket Career
Tejashwi’s cricket career, unfortunately, didn’t pan out as he had hoped. Despite being a part of the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL, he never got a chance to play in a match. After that, he moved to the Jharkhand Cricket Association to try his luck, where he played only 7 matches across different formats, scoring just 37 runs in total.
Repeated injuries to the ligaments in both his knees forced him to quit cricket altogether in 2010. His last professional match saw him scoring 5 runs and taking 1 wicket. Despite his talent, his injuries and lack of opportunities made it difficult for him to progress in his cricketing career.
Tejashwi’s Rise in Politics
After leaving cricket, Tejashwi Yadav quickly made his mark in Bihar politics, following in the footsteps of his father, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and mother, Rabri Devi. He is now the most prominent leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and has emerged as the most important political figure in the state after his parents. In 2015, he became the youngest Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and has since been a key player in the state’s politics.
Tejashwi continues to lead his party, preparing for the Bihar Assembly elections next year, where he will play a pivotal role in steering the future of his party and the state. His transition from cricket to politics has been remarkable, and though his cricketing career didn’t reach the heights of Virat Kohli’s, his success in politics has cemented his place as a major leader in Bihar.
