Yusuf Bhai changed my life: Yashpal Sharma

Former India batsman Yashpal Sharma has revealed that he managed to break into the national setup only because of Bollywood super star Dilip Kumar Thespian Kumar passed away at the age of 98 on WednesdaylsquoHe was like my fatherrsquoldquoHe Kumar was like my father I am very saddened to hear the news of his passingrdquo Sharma 66 told midday over the phone from his Delhi residenceldquoIn fact Yusuf Bhai Dilip Kumarrsquos real name was Yusuf Khan changed my life by uplifting my career In the 197475 domestic season he had come to the Mohan Nagar Ground in Delhi to watch the Punjab v UP Ranji knockout match I had scored a hundred in both innings for Punjab and during our second innings I noticed that some prominent personality had come in a car and was watching the match from a special seating area I thought he must have been some top politicianldquoLater Yusuf Bhai invited me for a chat and congratulated me for my century lsquoYou have played an excellent game I will recommend your name to someonersquo were his words The next day my photograph appeared alongside Yusuf Bhai in the newspapers and I was stunned Only later did I get to know that Yusif Bhai went on to recommend me to the late Raj Singh Dungarpur who was a prominent cricket administrator Yusuf Bhai told Raj Singhji that I deserved to play for the country and my life was transformed thereafterrdquo recalled SharmaIn the next few years Sharma made his India debut both in the ODI and Test formats Sharma became a regular middleorder batsman for Team India and emerged as one of the heroes of Kapil Devrsquos 1983 World Cupwinning squad Sharma played 37 Tests and 42 ODIs scoring 1606 and 883 runs and averaged 335 and 288 respectively Witnessed making of KrantiJust as Kumar had an interest in cricket Sharma too closely followed the actorrsquos career ldquoI have seen most of his films Once I was even invited to watch the shooting of the movie Kranti It went on to be a blockbusterrdquo added Sharma Kumar also enjoyed his interactions with international cricketers Former West Indies captain Sir Gary Sobers in his autobiography has mentioned one such interaction with the actor Sobers wrote ldquoEvery morning in our Breach Candy Hotel where all the stars stayed I used to pass Duleep Singh Sobers misspelt the name one of Bollywoodrsquos top actors and he would shout out for me to join him for breakfast Everyone was incredibly friendly But I never saw the film and donrsquot know whether it was released or what happened to itrdquoAlso ReadMS Dhoni turns 40 Indian cricketers send their love and wishes on Mahis bday