For Mangesh Yadav, the IPL 2026 auction was special not only because Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) signed him for a staggering Rs 5.20 crore, but also because it marked the end of a year-long struggle for his family. Hailing from Madhya Pradesh, Mangesh comes from a humble background. His father, Ram Awadh Yadav, is a truck driver who woke up at 3 a.m. and spent long days traversing dangerous roads to support his family.
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Mangesh’s father endured hardships while supporting his son’s cricketing journey. Family finances were strained for years, with his father borrowing money and taking out loans to cover coaching, equipment and travel expenses. At the time of his IPL breakthrough, the family was still living in a rented house in Borgaon, about 75 km from Chhindwara city.
His father often spent sleepless nights worrying about how he would manage the money for coaching and other expenses. The life of a truck driver was incredibly difficult, with constant pressure – from the stress of unloading a fully loaded truck to the uncertainty of finding goods to transport when the vehicle was empty.
“I had to fight a lot for money. Sometimes I couldn’t sleep at night thinking how I will get money for him. The life of a truck driver is no life at all. You don’t have time to eat or bathe. When the truck is full you worry about unloading and when it is empty you have to worry about filling it,” said father Mangesh Yadav.
With Mangesh getting a lucrative IPL deal, the family can finally hope to get some financial room. And with IPL 2026 just a few days away, Mangesh could be in line to make his debut, especially with Yash Dayal is unavailable for the defending champions.
MANGESH YADAV’S BABY STEPS
Before joining formal cricket, Mangesh earned his living by playing tennis tournaments and often traveled long distances across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in unreserved train compartments and state buses. More than making money, the real success for him was not having to ask his father for financial support.
His journey through structured cricket began at the age of 16 when a family friend helped him move to Noida after excelling in a local tournament. At Wonder Cricket Club, coach Phoolchand Sharma recognized his potential and waived his hostel fees for three years. Mangesh admitted that he might never have taken up cricket professionally without Sharma’s support.
“If I am playing cricket today, it is because of Phool Chand sir. When I went to Delhi, my father gave me Rs 24,000 with great difficulty. I don’t even know how the money came in the first month,” said Mangesh.
“Mangesh was staying with someone in Delhi. I saw that he was a good bowler, but he didn’t even have enough food. I told him to come and stay in a hostel. That’s where his journey really started. I don’t care if someone has money or not. If a player is good, he can come, eat, stay and practice,” said Phoolchand Sharma.
THE RISE OF MANGESH
Mangesh’s breakthrough came in the 2025 Madhya Pradesh T20 League where he took 14 wickets in six matches for the Gwalior Cheetahs and was named player of the tournament. His impressive performances earned him invitations for trials with several IPL franchises, including Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, as the teams assessed his adaptability to professional T20 conditions.
Yadav then earned a place in the Madhya Pradesh senior squad, made his debut in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, taking three wickets in two matches and showcasing his batting with a quick 28 off 12 balls against Punjab. In the IPL trials, Dinesh Karthik tested Mangesh Yadav’s adaptability and asked him to bounce in different situations of the match – from the new ball to the death overs.
“During the trials, Mr DK (Dinesh Karthik) came to me and said, ‘You are playing well. Now show me this ball.’ He made me mix in different situations; with the new ball, fifth, tenth, fourteenth and even eighteenth and twentieth. It was surprising for me to see how a player thinks at that level,” said Mangesh.
FROM STRUGGLE TO RECOGNITION
Mangesh Yadav’s IPL deal changed his family’s life. The father’s years of sacrifices, once questioned by relatives, finally paid off. This success brought pride and dignity to the family and earned his father a newfound respect in society. Mangesh’s gratitude to his coach and fans highlights the journey from struggle to recognition.
About Mangesh’s IPL deal, his father said, “I never thought a truck driver could get so much respect. Mangesh has done more for me than I could ever ask for.”
RCB is one team to watch as they aim to defend their title after ending their long wait for the IPL championship last season. With Dayal unavailable, Mangesh has a big opportunity to impress and chase his first IPL cap when RCB face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the tournament opener on March 28.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
26 March 2026 08:40 IST
