During the day, Kapil Yadav teaches the ABCs of at least three different subjects to primary students at the MCD school in West Delhi’s Baljit Nagar. Whenever he gets time off, the master quickly turns into a disciple, learning the ABC of fast bowling.

And with 19 wickets in three games for Delhi’s under-22 team, he sure is learning fast.

Part of the Delhi Ranji Trophy squad playing Saurashtra at present, Yadav, like Virender Sehwag and Ishant Sharma before him, comes from Najafgarh, in Outer Delhi. Sehwag, in fact, has played an important role in getting him to big-league cricket; the tall, lanky youth’s ability to bowl quick and extract bounce resembles Ishant’s style.

Given his profession as a teacher, Yadav’s Delhi teammates have already nicknamed him ‘Masterji’ and are often seen seeking his “advice”, though at 19 he is among the youngest members of the touring party. Yadav, though, is happy to brace up for a life oscillating between the all-red Delhi training gear and teaching different subjects to children in uniform.

“I was good in studies and topped my class throughout,” Yadav said. “Though I played a lot of school cricket for Vikaspuri Government Boys School, where I came to know Veeru-bhai (Sehwag), I couldn’t continue with cricket due to pressure from my family. Instead, I decided to join the junior basic training course for teachers after finishing school.”

But as luck would have it, he got an opportunity to get back in gear — cricket gear, that is — “and I’m happy to dabble in both”.

... contd.