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Who Is Upendra Yadav? The Batter Who Scored 95 On Virat Kohli's Ranji Return



Upendra Yadav steals limelight in Virat Kohli's Ranji comeback game [Source: @upendra204/Instagram]Upendra Yadav steals limelight in Virat Kohli's Ranji comeback game [Source: @upendra204/Instagram]

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The recent Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Railways hogged the limelight for superstar cricketer Virat Kohli’s return to domestic cricket. However, Upendra Yadav from Railways was the unsung hero of his team as he smashed 95 off 177 balls to avoid a collapse.

Arun Jaitley Stadium was buzzing on January 30 as Virat Kohli turned up to play his first Ranji Trophy game after a 12-year-long gap. Fans thronged the stadium and it recorded the highest viewership of a domestic game in recent times.

However, while Kohli hogged the limelight, an unsung hero for Railways, Upendra Yadav amazed fans with his promising talent. He hit a crucial 95 off 177 balls including 10 fours and a 1 six to carry Railways from 66/5 to 241/10.

Who is Upendra Yadav?

Upendra Yadav is a 28-year-old cricketer from Uttar Pradesh. He began his professional cricket career at the age of 14 and his elder brother supported his career by sacrificing his own dreams. He made his Ranji Trophy debut with UP in 2014 and featured in 7 seasons.

However, after graduating with a science degree, he got a job as Junior Clerk with Indian Railways and since 2022, he has been associated with the Railways. 

In 39 First Class matches, Upendra has scored 1721 runs with 5 tons and a 43.0 average while in 30 List A matches, he has scored 931 runs with 42.31 average.

In addition, Upendra Yadav was also picked by Sunrisers Hyderabad for a base price of INR 25 Lakh during the IPL 2023 auction. However, he never got to make his debut.