When Rajvardhan Hangargekar made it to the India U-19 squad for the Asia Cup, beginning from December 23, all that the Maharashtra pacer could think of was his late father Subhash, 51.

Hangargekar Sr passed away last year in June due to Covid-19. “My dad always encouraged me to play cricket. He supported me immensely from my childhood. His dream was to see me play for India. It is really tough to live without him, but I have come to terms with the fact that he is no longer with me. That has helped me to move on and concentrate on my job,” Hangargekar told mid-day from Bangalore, where he is undergoing an intense camp before the squad flies to the UAE.