Sohum Yadav runs one of the numerous sports goods stores in Ranchi, the hometown of the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and no wonder, the demand for wicket-keeping gloves here are always high, more so in the past few days after two boys from the city –Kumar Kushagra and Robin Minz – were acquired by Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans, respectively for several crores at the IPL mini auction on Tuesday.

“Ranchi mein har bacche ko keeper banna hai (Every kid wants to become a keeper in Ranchi). The demand for wicket-keeping equipment (gloves, pads) has constantly been on the rise ever since Dhoni went on to play for India and has picked pace yet again,” remarked Yadav who has been running the business for decades now.

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The region has been a nursery of wicketkeeper-batters ever since Dhoni made his India debut, and went on to captain India to two World Cup titles and the ICC Champions Trophy win in 2014. After Dhoni, another local boy Ishan Kishan also climbed the ladder to the national side, and the emergence of two new stumpers blessed with good power-hitting skills, have only added to the list of many still waiting for the right opportunity.

The 19-year-old Kushagra was bought by the Capitals for a whopping Rs 7.20 crore following a bidding war with Gujarat Titans, who later won the bidding battle with Mumbai Indians to acquire the 21-year-old Minz for Rs 3.60 crore. A couple of years ago, Mumbai Indians had signed Kishan for a jaw-dropping sum of Rs 15.25 crore.

Both Kushagra and Minz come from varied backgrounds, with the former gaining his initial coach from his father, Shashikant, who works with the Income Tax department, while Minz hails from a family of a retired Army man Francis Xavier Minz, now employed as a security guard at the Ranchi airport.

Chanchal Bhattacharya, Dhoni’s childhood coach, who also coached Minz from his formative years at Sonnet Cricket Club, isn’t surprised with the city producing wicketkeepers with explosive batting abilities as he feels that the kids in the city’s cricket academies relate themselves to the old MSD – with long locks and hit big sixes.

“There is a Dhoni effect in every Ranchi cricketer…Robin is one of them, and he too has the power to hit those big sixes. He isn’t afraid to take on the bowlers from the word go, and can bat anywhere in the line-up. This makes him a very good option as T20 cricket is more about flexibility,” Bhattarcharya said.

“Times have changed since Dhoni made his India debut (in 2004), and numerous cricket academies have come up in the city since then but one thing that remains a constant is young cricketers aspiring to become the next Mahi.

“After Dhoni we had Ishan stepping up the ladder and made it to the national team. Now both Robin and Kushagra are wicket-keepers and big hitters, the list is long, there are many waiting in the wings,” he commented.

For now, both Kushagra and Robin can plan their bucket lists with the hefty sum offered at the IPL auction, and as they prepare to board the flight to the big league where they will get to rub shoulders with the biggies of world cricket, a lot will rest on their shoulders to justify the fat pay cheques, and more importantly carry forward the legacy of the great man from the city of wicketkeepers!