The latest post on Yash Dhull’s Instagram account is cryptic. It reads — ’still here’.

While it is tough to trace the precise meaning, those two words, perhaps, convey relief that now runs through the Delhi batter.

Around the same time last year, Dhull was diagnosed with a 17 mm hole in his heart and had to undergo a surgery, but he showed courage to return to cricket in a few months.

A year on, Dhull, who made a stylish 133 for North Zone against East Zone in the Duleep Trophy here, realises that that tough phase has turned him into a tougher individual.

“The tough times taught me a lot about myself, about my game, about my life. How to grow, how to improve. So much has happened. Now, I just enjoy my game, I spend time on it and that gives me all the happiness,” Dhull said after his hundred helped North Zone reach the Duleep Trophy semifinals.

Dhull now realises that ups and downs are as much a part of his career as they are of his life.

“At the same time, I have to handle such things. There will be ups and downs. I have to go through them and move on.

“But right now, I just want to stay in the present. I don’t want to think about the past or future. I just want to grab the opportunities I have and enjoy them,” he added.

The 22-year-old also made acquaintance with snooker during that difficult period, which helped him stay focused on life and sport. “At that time I used to play snooker a lot and I used to spend a lot of time there. That game also taught me a lot.

“My mind often used to wander around; I wasn’t concentrating much. That game taught me to stay more focused,” he said.

That focus was evident in his first red-ball outing of the season, scything through the East attack that has senior pacer Mohammed Shami in its ranks.

“I didn’t have any option. I didn’t have a second option. I have to score runs now. I have this option that I will score runs and play. So all these opportunities are very important for me and I am taking it day by day,” he said.

Dhull was diagnosed with a 17 mm hole in his heart and had to undergo a surgery, but he showed courage to return to cricket just months later.
| Photo Credit:
SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR/The Hindu

The finest aspect of his hundred was the way he resisted the pacers when the conditions offered them some help, and opened up once the pitch settled down.

“The wicket was seaming a little but I had planned that I will attack because we are from Delhi and we play a little aggressively.

“Thankfully, I executed them well. I was calm, staying in the present and not taking any pressure. I was waiting for that right ball to score,” he added.

Dhull has little doubt that a century in the season opening tournament will stand him in good stead going ahead.

“It is a good platform for us, right before the domestic season starts in full swing. All the top professionals are playing here. It is good preparation (for the season ahead). We get to learn a lot from here and we can execute it there (in the upcoming matches),” he said.

Dhull also showcased his white ball prowess in the recently concluded Delhi Premier League (DPL), amassing 435 runs from just eight matches at an average of 87 and at a strike-rate of 167.31.

The Delhi batter acknowledged the importance of that outing with domestic white-ball tournaments such as Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy coming his way.

“My first intent is to always score runs and score them quickly. Playing in the DPL was also helping and scoring runs there also helped as I was carrying plenty of confidence. It’s a good platform,” he signed off.

Published on Aug 31, 2025