One of the most reputed coaches of Indian domestic coaching circuits, Tarak Sinha passed away at the age of 71 on Saturday morning, after suffering from a prolonged illness. Sinha was a prominent figure at the Sonnet Club in Delhi. The club has produced several great cricketers who have later represented India.
Sad day for me and all sonnetians as we have lost our ustaad ji today . Toiled for decades and shaped careers but never took centre stage . Cricket fraternity has lost a gem . God bless the departed soul . Rip pic.twitter.com/3pPUe2cZj4
— Atul Wassan (@cricketguru) November 6, 2021
He is said to have coached the likes of Manoj Prabhakar, Atul Wassan, Sanjiv Sharma, Akash Chopra, Ashish Nehra, Shikhar Dhawan, and most recently Rishabh Pant. Devendra Sharma, who actively coached Pant in his Delhi days, is known as the longtime assistant of Sinha. Although he liked staying at the Delhi-based club which he called his home, Seth was once presented with an opportunity to coach the women side, and he accepted it. At the time of his tenure with the women team, he worked with the likes of Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj who were relatively new to the game at that time.
Ustaad Ji is no more. Dronacharya Awardee. Coach to over a dozen India Test cricketers. And scores of first-class cricketers. Both men and women. Without any institutional help. Your service to Indian cricket will be remembered, sir. May your soul R.I.P.
Om Shanti 🙌🙏 pic.twitter.com/fDmvdJC8vZ— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 6, 2021
Being a pragmatic man, Seth believed that not everyone could join the ranks of Dhawan, Nehra, or any other international player. Hence, he always advised his students to keep academics as a plan B. Seth did the same with Rishabh Pant, whom Devendra his assistant scouted in Rajasthan. Seth asked Devendra to bring Pant to Delhi, where he completed his 10th and 12th.
PTI reports Sonnet club’s statement on the demise of Seth, it reads: “It is with heavy hearts we have to share this tragic news of Shri Tarak Sinha, the founder of Sonnet Club, has left us for heavenly abode at 3 am on Saturday after a brave battle with lung cancer for 2 months.” He is survived by his sister and several disciples.
