Prince Yadav's Historic ODI Call-Up Celebrated by Family and Community
A Proud Moment for Prince Yadav's Family
Ram Niwas Yadav, the father of Prince Yadav, expressed overwhelming happiness following his son's first call-up to the national ODI team, describing it as a moment more significant than the Indian Premier League (IPL). He mentioned that the entire community came together to celebrate this achievement, and the family visited temples to express their gratitude. Ram Niwas reflected on Prince's challenging journey, revealing that he played with tennis balls until he was 17 or 18 years old, often financing his own cricket-related expenses and even forgoing tuition fees to purchase equipment. Although he initially encouraged Prince to prioritize academics due to the fierce competition, Prince's passion for cricket remained unwavering from a young age. His father shared that Prince's lifelong aspiration was to don the Indian jersey, and the emotional phone call announcing his selection was a proud and unexpected milestone for the family.
Community Celebration and Personal Sacrifices
"The entire community gathered to celebrate. We also visited temples. It was a complete surprise, even bigger than the IPL. His dedication has finally paid off. Since childhood, he dreamed of playing cricket, although I advised him to concentrate on his studies because of the tough competition. He primarily played with tennis balls until he was 17 or 18, winning trophies in Surat and Mumbai while often covering his own costs. He would skip tuition to buy cricket gear. His passion for cricket fully developed around the age of 10 or 11. His dream was always to wear the India jersey. Yesterday, he called me, saying, 'Papa, I've been selected for India.' It was an incredible surprise and a moment of immense joy," Ram Niwas Yadav shared.
India's Squad for the Afghanistan Series
Prince Yadav received his first ODI call-up as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squads for the upcoming series against Afghanistan, which includes a one-off Test and three ODIs. Shubman Gill will lead the Indian team in both formats, with KL Rahul serving as vice-captain for the Test match. Shreyas Iyer makes a return to the ODI squad and will again act as Gill's deputy. This series marks India's return to the field following their victory in the Men's T20 World Cup 2026 and the conclusion of the IPL.
ODI Squad: 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.