Suryakumar Yadav is enjoying what is the best moment of his cricketing career. He wouldn’t have thought he’d play for India, but he fought the odds and made his debut when he was nearly 31. Three years later, he’s been named India’s T20I captain, succeeding a modern-day legend in Rohit Sharma. But not all is great. Far away in Mumbai, his childhood coach, Ashok Aswalkar, is on the verge of losing everything he’s got.
Sacking & struggles
In December last year, Aswalkar was sacked from his job as a groundsman and career. However, after giving 24 years to that job, he was let go. Such was the humiliation that he couldn’t even muster enough courage to tell his family that he was earning just Rs 10,000 at the age of 61. Mere months ago, he got four times the money, but right now he’s living a nightmare.
“I joined the BARC [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre] ground in 1989-90 and was assisting Jagannath Phanse as a groundsman and coach. I started at a monthly salary of Rs 3000 and when they [ASMC] discontinued my services in December 2023, I was getting Rs 26000/month for the groundsman job and Rs 15000 for coaching from a coaching agency. I didn’t even tell my family members that I had lost my job.” Ashok Aswalkar told mid-day.
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Suryakumar Yadav coaching academy
In March, he appeared in a television advertisement honouring him for nurturing a great talent like Suryakumar Yadav. Now, he’s out there fighting to provide for his family. In his moment of need, Aswalkar approached his pupil. Luckily for him, it might just all work out fine. Surya has cut ties with the person who was behind his coach’s sacking and is thinking of opening up an academy where Aswalkar will nurture the next line of cricketers.
“I just messaged Surya to say that I lost my job and told him who was responsible for this damage. Surya in response stopped entertaining that particular person. I am coaching youngsters in an indoor turf facility at Chembur now. I spoke with Surya about starting a cricket academy and he gave me a positive reply. We both want to provide coaching to needy youngsters. Money was never a priority for us, and it will not be in the future,”
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