Tejashwi Yadav, the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, has a little-known secret: his background as a cricketer. Few are aware that before entering the political arena, Yadav pursued a cricketing career. Interestingly, there was a time when the former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli played under Yadav’s captaincy. Had fate granted the Bihar Deputy Chief Minister a promising opportunity in the Indian Premier League (IPL), he might have become the captain of Team India today. Let’s delve into this intriguing story.

During his formative years, Tejashwi Yadav not only completed his studies in Bihar but also kick-started his cricketing journey there due to the state’s cricket board’s lackluster state. He played for Delhi’s Under-15 and Under-17 teams, with Virat Kohli being one of his teammates. Yadav proudly reminisced about leading the Under-15 side to numerous victories during an interview.

Yadav also ventured into the IPL, representing the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) from 2008 to 2012. Unfortunately, he did not get an opportunity to play a single match during his tenure. However, some believe that had he been given a fair chance in the IPL, he could have represented the Indian cricket team today and possibly even held the captaincy.

Aside from his IPL stint, Yadav also played domestic cricket for Jharkhand. In his first match for Jharkhand, he scored 19 runs in the second innings and 1 run in the first innings. Despite bowling 5 overs, he failed to secure a wicket. Additionally, Yadav participated in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2010 and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Examining his overall cricketing career, Yadav played one match in first-class cricket, scoring 20 runs. In List A matches, he accumulated 14 runs with a single wicket to his name across two matches, while contributing 3 runs in four T20 matches.

Tejashwi Yadav’s cricketing journey sheds light on his passion for the sport and offers an intriguing glimpse into his lesser-known background before he ventured into the realm of politics.

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