The life of a cricketer might seem to be all glam and fun. The cricketers we all look up to and watch on television make millions from advertising deals and IPL matches in a short stint drawing the interest of many youngsters. But not everyone can taste this success for long.
Cricket is one of the few highly respected and popular sports in India where parents traditionally prefer their children to do well in academics and not waste time with delusions of becoming a sportsperson. The success rate in cricket, however, is very low and many youngsters who set themselves single-mindedly for a career in cricket find themselves stuck without any employment or success. Many neglect education in favor of sweating for longer on the playground and unfortunately may not really realize their dreams.
Rahul Dravid Alternate Career Path For Cricketers
One of the cricketing legends, Rahul Dravid has spoken out on this and has emphasized on the need to impart vocational training and alternate career paths for budding cricketers. In a country of over a billion people, the cutthroat competition is terrible for youngsters who don’t get enough time to focus on developing other skills. The promise of riches proves to be an illusion indeed.
Rahul Dravid who is the current coach of the India U19 and A team has probably seen a lot of youngsters struggle in their journey to success and has been in the field for a very long time. His words do carry a lot of weight and significance and have prompted officials to think and act. Since most youngsters give up on their cricketing dreams by the age of 21 and then struggle to have stable lives, this is indeed a welcome step by the officials.
The Next Step
Tufan Ghosh, The National Cricket Academy COO, and board officials are working on a means to execute Rahul Dravid’s idea. The officials are preparing and formulating ideas and suggestions to take forwards to the BCCI. So far, the ideas range from imparting vocational training to those aged 17 to 21 and internships as well as life coaching.
Rahul Dravid has already started doing his bit by holding sessions where youngsters can hone their personalities and attain a stronger mindset. Rahul Dravid continues to look out for the well-being of Indian cricket and we are indeed fortunate to have such a legend working for our country.
Also, Read: 10 Young Guns In The Indian Cricket Scene Who Comes With An Incredible Potential To Make It Big
