ICC U-19 World Cup final: Raj Angad keeping family's legacy alive

Raj Angad Bawa tormented England with a five-wicket haul in a U-19 World Cup final in Antigua on Saturday. He claimed 5/31 in nine overs to break the spine of the English team and set up the game for India U-19s. Tarlochan passed away when Raj Angad was too young to retain the memories of the time spent with his grandfather.

His parents ensured that the legacy of Tarlochan was etched in Raj's mind. "My wife and I would always tell the stories my father told me about his playing days. One of the anecdotes that has stayed with Raj is the one of my father standing on that podium.

My father told me that he felt the stitches of his blazer would give way because he felt his chest grow wider with pride. To have gone to a country which ruled us till a year ago and defeated them in the final was a hair-raising moment. Raj Angad was mesmerised and has been inspired by that story," Sukhwinder, Raj's father, told TOI on Saturday as his son was in the middle of an incisive spell.

"We hung my father's gold medal on the door of his room so that it would be the first thing he saw in the morning. The medal would keep inspiring him," added Sukhwinder who was himself selected for India's U-19 team in 1988. Sukhwinder's career was cut short due to injuries and he became a coach at a young age.

He has trained Yuvraj Singh for a while too. Raj's cricket journey started when he accompanied his dad to Dharamshala for inter-district tournaments. "He was hardly 11 at that time.

He was intrigued by the dressing room talks. Those matches used to be very close ones. Seeing that, he decided to become a cricketer," Sukhwinder said.