'My father is a modest man who took up odd jobs to support the family, right from operating a paan stall to working as a hotel manager to getting into real estate.'
Shubham Dubey's life took a turn for the better when Rajasthan Royals acquired him for Rs 5.60 crore in the recent IPL player auction. That sunny moment washed away all the early turmoil in the Vidarbha man's life.
Dubey, an aggressive middle-order batter who impressed in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with a strike rate of 185, had seen his father taking up odd jobs, like selling paan to buy a cricket kit for him.
Now that the struggle is behind the family, Dubey was understandably delighted.
"My family couldn't afford to buy a cricket kit, but my father still got me one. But they never forced me to do something else despite our struggling financial situation.
"My father is a modest man who took up odd jobs to support the family, right from operating a paan stall to working as a hotel manager to getting into real estate," said Dubey.
Now, he wants to buy a house for his family.
"I've found my biggest supporters in my family. My twin brother took care of the house financially without letting the pressure affect me; my parents were right behind me. When I was injured and out of action for a while, they kept me in a positive state of mind.
"I want to give them the comfort and happiness they deserve. So I wish to first buy a house for the family," he added.
Meeting Vidarbha captain Faiz Fazal gave him a much-needed opening to higher-level cricket.
"One of my uncle's friends suggested I should get enrolled in 'Advocate XI' that trains talented young kids who can't afford to pay fees. It was there that I first saw Fazal.
"His personality, the confidence he carried and the way everyone treated him with so much respect made me feel I wanted to reach that level too. He's also a left-handed batter. So I could relate to him even more."
Dubey now wants to meet former Sri Lankan batter Kumar Sangakkara, Rajasthan Royals Director of Cricket and Head Coach.
"I have followed Sanga sir's journey till his retirement and he is such a respected figure in the cricketing fraternity.
"He was also a lefty like me. So just being around him will surely be a learning experience for me."
