In a heartwarming tale of perseverance, Delhi cricketer Sarthak Ranjan has finally carved his own path to the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured the batter for his base price of Rs 30 lakh at the IPL mini-auction in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in his challenging journey.
Breaking Free from the Political Shadow
For Sarthak Ranjan, the journey to professional cricket was often overshadowed by his famous surname. He is the son of Rajesh Ranjan, popularly known as Pappu Yadav, a six-time MP and influential political leader from Bihar, and his mother, Ranjeet Ranjan, is a three-time MP. Moments after the auction, his father celebrated on social media platform X, stating, "Ab Sarthak ke naam se banegi humari pehchaan (Now people will know us by Sarthak's name)."
However, this very identity became a burden. Despite grinding in age-group cricket and being a heavy run-scorer, Sarthak was often identified only through his parents. "Their presence had a big impact on my cricket. I would say it wasn't great," Sarthak revealed in an exclusive interview. He admitted this external pressure took a toll on his mental health a few years ago, leading to a dark phase where he almost quit the sport.
The Delhi Premier League: A Second Wind
The turning point came through the Delhi Premier League (DPL), where he plays for the North Delhi Strikers. After a modest first season with 252 runs in 10 innings, he transformed his game. In the second season, he amassed 449 runs in just nine matches, including a century and four half-centuries. These performances caught the sharp eyes of the KKR scouts.
"After the first season, I realised I needed to upgrade my batting," Sarthak explained. He sought advice from peers like Ayush Badoni and Priyansh Arya about the requirements at the IPL level and worked diligently on his strokes and fitness throughout the year.
Embracing the Challenge and Looking Ahead
Now 29, Sarthak views his background not as a curse but as a blessing that made him stronger. "I’m more than grateful to have a family like this," he said, choosing to focus on the privileges rather than the taunts. He draws inspiration from Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya, particularly their approach to rotating strike and hitting big shots.
His immediate goal is to learn from KKR's assistant coach, Abhishek Nayar, whose cricketing mind he deeply admires. Sarthak also shared a light-hearted boundary with his parents: "I don’t get into politics, and they don’t get into cricket."
This IPL contract is more than just a cricket deal for Sarthak Ranjan; it's the first major step in his lifelong quest to be recognized for his own talent. As he puts it, this opportunity is the "ray of sunlight" he needed to step out of his parents' long shadow and build an identity defined solely by his exploits on the cricket field.
