\u201cI\u2019ve been providing honorary coaching for the last 30 years \u2014 I\u2019ve never taken money from anyone,\u201d Lad told IANS. \u201cMy students have gone on to play for India, represent their state teams and for Mumbai across various age groups. For 30 years, this is all I\u2019ve been doing.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Two years ago, Lad founded the Dinesh Lad Cricket Foundation, a not-for-profit initiative through which he has adopted 22 children, most of them from rural parts of India. \u201cThey are all highly talented kids,\u201d he said. \u201cBut unfortunately, I\u2019m not getting the kind of financial support that\u2019s needed. When I was coaching the Mumbai team, I used to divert whatever money I earned to support them.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Lad eventually stepped down from his Mumbai coaching role to focus fully on the children. \u201cThey\u2019ve come from faraway villages \u2014 12 from Maharashtra, one from Delhi, three from Gujarat, and two from Andhra Pradesh,\u201d he shared. \u201cI even look after their schooling through the foundation. The cricket coaching is completely free \u2014 I don\u2019t take any money for that.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite the financial strain, Lad refuses to view coaching as a business. \u201cI don\u2019t claim to make anyone a cricketer,\u201d he said. \u201cThey become cricketers because of their own talent. When people say \u2018Lad Sir made us,\u2019 I feel humbled \u2014 but it\u2019s their ability that brought them success.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He recalls his early days mentoring a young Rohit, who was then an off-spin bowler. \u201cWhen I saw him bat, I told him to focus more on batting. Even Rohit said, \u2018Sir, I was a bowler.\u2019 I didn\u2019t make him a batsman \u2014 I just saw his potential.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Another student who shares a special bond with Lad is Shardul Thakur, who once lived at the coach\u2019s home. \u201cShardul stayed with me, and there was another Muslim boy who lived with us for five years,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you see it, what I\u2019m doing is social service. I\u2019m not doing it for money. If I wanted, I could easily earn \u20b960\u201370 lakh a month \u2014 but I\u2019ve never chosen that path. My passion is not money, it\u2019s cricket.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A Guru\u2019s Legacy<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Lad\u2019s deepest inspiration comes from his mentor, the legendary Ramakant Achrekar, who coached the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. \u201cI play and teach cricket because of my guru,\u201d Lad said with pride. \u201cAfter Achrekar sir received the Dronacharya Award, I became the second person from Maharashtra to receive it \u2014 in 32 years. Becoming a Dronacharya (awardee) like my guru is the biggest achievement of my life.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A Grounded Struggle<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Even with national recognition, Lad continues to face practical challenges. The state government allotted him a cricket ground, but it comes with heavy costs. \u201cIt\u2019s on rent, and I have to bear all expenses \u2014 water, maintenance, everything,\u201d he explained. \"To manage the costs, I rent it out for private matches, which some people misinterpret as me trying to make money. I have a CSR certificate, and many people promise help, but I\u2019m not someone who keeps following up.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A Partner in Every Sense<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Behind Lad\u2019s unwavering journey stands his wife, whose quiet strength kept the family afloat. \"I gave 30 years of my life to cricket, but I didn\u2019t have enough money when I started,\u201d he said. \u201cI worked with the railways \u2014 that was all. My wife supported me through everything. When I brought Shardul home, she didn\u2019t object. She said, \u2018It\u2019s your house \u2014 why would I have a problem?\u2019 She took care of him as if he were our own child. I don\u2019t know how she managed the household, but I am who I am because of her.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Beyond Borders<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Lad\u2019s reputation as a coach has reached beyond Indian shores. He has also trained international players, including the son of former South African pacer Makhaya Ntini, who stayed with him for a month, and another young South African cricketer who trained for 25 days. \u201cHis cricket improved, his technique got better, and he went on to be named Best Junior Cricketer of South Africa,\u201d Lad said proudly. \u201cHe\u2019s even a candidate for the U-19 World Cup captaincy.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Beyond Borders<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Through all his challenges, Dinesh Lad remains steadfast in his mission \u2014 to give young, talented cricketers the opportunity he once wished he had. \u201cIf I get financial support,\u201d he said, \u201cI can do even more for these kids. Who knows \u2014 the next Rohit Sharma or Shardul Thakur might just be one of them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n