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Shubham Dubey's life took a positive turn when Rajasthan Royals (RR) acquired him for Rs 5.60 crore in the recent IPL 2024 auction. This bright moment has dispelled the early challenges in the Vidarbha man's life.
Dubey, an explosive middle-order batter who showcased his talent in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with an impressive strike rate of 185, had witnessed his father undertaking odd jobs, such as selling paan, to afford a cricket kit for him.
Now, the family has overcome those struggles, and Dubey is understandably thrilled.
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"My family couldn't afford to buy a cricket kit but my father still got me one. But they never forced me to do something else despite our struggling financial situation.
"My father is a modest man who took up odd jobs to support the family, right from operating a paan stall to working as a hotel manager to getting into real estate," Dubey said in a Royals media release.
Now, Dubey has a desire to buy a house for his family
"I've found my biggest supporters in my family. My twin brother took care of the house financially without letting the pressure affect me, my parents were right behind me. When I was injured and out of action for a while, they kept me in a positive state of mind.”
"I want to give them the comfort and happiness they deserve. So, I wish to first buy a house for the family," added Dubey.
Meeting Vidarbha captain Faiz Fazal provided him with a much-needed opportunity to enter higher-level cricket.
"One of my uncle's friends suggested I should get enrolled in to 'Advocate XI' that trains talented young kids who can't afford to pay fees. It was there that I first saw Fazal.
"His personality, the confidence he carried and the way everyone treated him with so much respect made me feel I wanted to reach that level too. He's also a left-handed batter. So, I could relate to him even more."
The 29-year-old wants to meet RR Director of Cricket and Head Coach and former Sri Lankan batter Kumar Sangakkara.
"I have followed Sanga sir’s journey till his retirement and he is such a respected figure in the cricketing fraternity.
"He was also a lefty like me. So, just being around him will surely be a learning experience for me," he said.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by PTI)
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