Bengal Pro T20 League: Siliguri Strikers Spinner Raju Halder plays and then does Father's Last Rites in a tale of Utmost Courage

Raju Halder, a name which may not be versed in the minds to cricket lovers, but the grit of this young player in the Bengal Pro T20 League has caught the eye of the world.

In the ongoing Bengal Pro T20 tournament in Eden Gardens, Raju is playing for Siliguri Strikers, and his utmost dedication to the game amid personal setbacks has drawn comparisons with cricketing greats such as Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

Tendulkar came back in the World Cup 1999 after his father's death and Virat Kohli showed utmost grit to play a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi despite his father's demise. And Raju, although miles away from the two Indian icons, has done something similar.

Raju, a left-arm spinner representing Siliguri Strikers in the Bengal Pro T20 League, stepped onto the Eden Gardens pitch on Thursday with a heavy heart. His father had just passed away. The funeral rites weren't even complete - yet, he chose to play.

He picked up three wickets in the match against Adamas Howrah Warriors. His team may have lost, but his performance - and his resolve captured hearts. The very next day, after returning home, he completed his father's shraddha (last rites). The player has since joined his team for the next matches.

Speaking to ABP Ananda, Raju recalled, "My father, Bishwanath Haldar, worked hard all his life. He was a rickshaw puller. After I got a job in the Railways, I asked him to stop. He then started a small business."

His father passed away on May 28. After sustaining an abdominal injury, a stomach perforation led to multi-organ failure and then eventual death despite treatments.

Raju's love for cricket bloomed early. As a boy, he would stand on the sidelines whenever a match was played in Bongaon. Eventually, a free training arrangement was made, and Raju's cricketing journey began. But money remained tight. To support his dream, Raju split his time - studying and training during the day, and working at a paper plate factory at night. He also took up sales jobs to make ends meet and fulfil his dream.

His Kolkata debut came through the Sir Gurudas Institute, a second-division club and Raju depicted his initial struggles.

"Initially, I was just carrying water bottles. On one occasion, the team was a player short. I was asked to step in. A long partnership was brewing for the opposition - I broke it, took three wickets. That was my debut. I haven't looked back since," he added.