Suryakumar Yadav has reached the pinnacle of his cricketing career. As the world's top T20I batsman, Surya's relentless dedication has been recognized with the prestigious appointment as India's T20I captain, surpassing Hardik Pandya. At 33 years old, Surya is poised to lead the team until the 2026 T20 World Cup, where India aims to defend their title on home turf. The future holds limitless possibilities for Surya as he embarks on this exciting new chapter of his career with confidence and a determination for success.
While Suryakumar is experiencing great success, his childhood coach Ashok Aswalkar is facing personal challenges. Aswalkar, who was SKY's first coach, was recently let go from his job after 24 years of service and is now earning only Rs 10,000 per month. The 61-year-old dedicated years of hard work and dedication to Chembur's Anushakti Nagar, serving as a curator and coach and earning Rs 41,000 for his dual role. This sudden change in circumstances has been a source of humiliation for Aswalkar.
"I joined the BARC [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre] ground in 1989-90 and was assisting Jagannath Phanse as a groundsman and coach. I started at a monthly salary of R3,000 and when they [ASMC] discontinued my services in December 2023, I was getting R26,000 per month for the groundsman job and R15,000 for coaching from a coaching agency," Aswalkar told Mid-day.
Aswalkar's predicament is evident in the fact that he felt compelled to conceal a crucial piece of information from his family, fearing it would incite chaos and panic among his loved ones. After losing his previous job, Aswalkar transitioned to coaching at an indoor facility in Chembur, where he earns a meager Rs 10,000 per month, significantly less than his previous income. In an effort to express his apprehensions, Aswalkar sought out one of his disciples for support.
"I didn't even tell my family members that I had lost my job. I just messaged Surya to say that I lost my job and told him who was responsible for this damage. Surya in response stopped entertaining that particular person," Aswalkar said.
Detailing the sequence of events, Aswalkar disclosed that the downward spiral commenced upon his return to the office following a family function. Upon resuming his duties, Aswalkar observed peculiar behavior from his colleagues and other individuals in the workplace. Subsequent to a series of discussions, the 61-year-old was ultimately dismissed from his position.
"I went to attend my nephew’s wedding in Malvan with prior intimation. They [ASMC] asked me to meet them on my return on December 31. I did so, but no one spoke to me during my three-hour visit. I was then told via a message to return home and I would be called again. This was humiliating. When I was told to visit the place a week later, no one met me again," said Aswalkar.
"After one month I got a message at my home that few [ASMC] members wanted to meet me at the ground. I met and spoke with Mr [Ramakant] Sahu and two other committee members there. They asked me questions and listened carefully to what I said. The committee members said they will get in touch with me soon, but till date, no one has communicated with me. The last salary I drew was ₹26,911 in December 2023."
Ramakant Sahu, the head of ASMC, stated that the situation with Aswalkar was a result of poor communication. Sahu further explained that Aswalkar was dissatisfied for various reasons, but if he is able to overcome these issues, ASMC is prepared to reinstate him in his former position as a veteran coach.
"Ashok was working with us till last season. But something happened – some confusion on his part and some other part. We tried to continue with him but then he was unhappy for some reason and suddenly disappeared in the middle of a cricket tournament. Ashok said he is going to his hometown for some work, but for three to four weeks he was not responding to phone calls," he said.
"In fact, we will be honoured to hire him as a coach. He was here for years, decades. We are trying to convince him to just be with us and next season – from October – he will get a full-time curator-cum-coaching job."
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