| Kar Har Maidaan Fateh: When hope springs eternal I have a great hairstylist. But every year, I fervently look forward to that one ‘chatak baby’ haircut (thank you, Yuvraj Dua) that can take me from the depths of pessimism to the conviction that everything might not be right with the world, but some things are. Last weekend, I had that haircut for 2024. As I was preparing my appreciation address for my friend with the shears, he asked me, ‘Ma’am, yeh Jaiswal kahan ke hote hain? ‘Hain?’ I said. ‘22 saal ke ladke ne 22 saal se bhi puraane record tod diye hain. If you watch test matches like you claim, you must know!’ answered my friend with the shears. Clearly, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s meteoric rise and exploits on the international circuit have rendered him the toast of sports lovers. But what has endeared him to the young and old, the rich and the not-so-rich and the sports lovers and those indifferent to it alike aren’t really his staggering first-year stats that increasingly look ominous to oppositions. It’s his story that any youngster yearning to pursue what they love could offer as a precedent to an unrelenting parent. Born into a modest family in Uttar Pradesh, Jaiswal's early years were marked by struggles. At the tender age of 10, he left his hometown and moved to Mumbai, driven by his passion for cricket. Facing adversity head-on, he found himself living in a tent at Azad Maidan, where he sold panipuri to sustain himself. Despite the odds stacked against him, Jaiswal's determination propelled him to remarkable feats, including becoming the youngest Indian to score a double century in a test match. With India yet to play the final test against England next week, Yashasvi is in contention to break records set by Sunil Gavaskar and Virat Kohli, both colossuses of their generation. The youngster’s boyish face and lanky stature belie his capacity to dominate some of the world’s best bowlers. For a second, I refused to believe it was him I was looking at! After my hairstylist friend’s timely reminder to watch more test cricket, I followed the Ranchi test, where another youngster from Agra in UP, Dhruv Jurel, rose through the ranks with a match-winning performance both with the bat and the wicketkeeping gloves. Despite facing financial constraints throughout childhood, Dhruv’s ardour for the game never wavered. Props to his mum, too, who sold her jewellery to fund his cricket kit as the boy honed his skills at a Noida cricket academy. The 23-year-old's perseverance bore fruit when he showcased his talent on the international stage. Likewise, Aligarh boy Rinku Singh, who was born and who grew up in a household beset by financial problems, is considered among the best T20 players in the country right now solely because of his recent exploits in the IPL. A few years ago, India batter Shafali Verma revealed how, growing up, she would disguise herself as a boy since no cricket academy in Rohtak would take on girls. The 20-year-old, who was the youngest cricketer ever to play for India, is considered the next big thing in the game. Stories of grand accomplishment in the face of adversity aren’t just limited to sports. The tatters-to-triumph tale of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, depicted in the breakaway crowd favourite film 12th Fail, has brought fresh hope to millions. What also fascinates me is how it mirrors the rise of the film’s lead star, Vikrant Massey. From his early days on TV to his recent triumphs in cinema, Massey's path has been marked by sheer hard work and perseverance. Even as he basks in the spotlight for his stellar performance in 12th Fail, earning accolades such as the Most Promising Actor at the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Awards — Massey remains grounded, never forgetting the struggles he faced along the way. My rockstar haircut for 2024 might be out of the way, but I guess I am going to have many moments to tell myself that even though everything might not be right with the world, some things are. Chatak baby! | 
