How to start PROFESSIONAL CRICKET ?

Guide to become a cricketer for different age groups.

DISCLAIMER : Are you still playing cricket in your streets or parks ? And thinking that one day , a national cricket team selector or coach would watch and select you for the next international series ? Then this article is for you .This blog is purely for passionate cricket lovers (not fans ) and action takers .

If you wish to become a successful cricketer ,you need to upgrade yourself towards becoming more skillful player. And for that you need to join a cricket club or an academy . How and when to do it ? We’ll discuss this in this blog.

Today I will be sharing my experience with the beginners who want to pursue their careers in cricket . I will try to solve all the problems which a beginner face while starting their cricket journeys .

THIS BLOG INCLUDES :

WHY DO YOU WANT TO PLAY CRICKET?
JOIN A CRICKET CLUB / ACADEMY .
BEST AGE TO JOIN AN ACADEMY ?
- HOW TO CHOOSE BEST CRICKET ACADEMY ?
APPROACH TOWARDS CRICKET FOR ALL AGE GROUPS :
CONCLUSION

Execute the following steps carefully if you want to proceed in cricket :

1. WHY DO YOU WANT TO PLAY CRICKET ?

Firstly , ask this question to yourself . You need to identify why are you going to invest time , money and efforts in this game . No one wants directionless life .
Many players just join cricket academies or clubs thinking that they can earn good money and stardom from cricket. And they end up nowhere . You have to realize that all the international cricketers have taken a lot of pain to reach there .
Don’t think that it would be as easy as scoring runs or taking wickets in a park .
But if you are ready to take all failures and make efforts also, then you are ready to go.
If your purpose is clear , proceed to next step .

OPINION : You should think of joining a club only if you love playing cricket or want growth in your game. Never play it just for the sake of money but for the love and passion . If you keep improving your game , success will follow you .

2. JOIN A CRICKET CLUB / ACADEMY .

Yes , you cannot become a cricketer unless you join any cricket academy or a club .
Look for only those academies who have their own ground and quality pitches for practice .
Good or even not so “famous” academies provide you the basic facilities and the right direction to proceed in cricket .
But even if the club is providing good facilities , the most important decision is to find the right coach. Either he himself should have played at least at state level or trained other players to state or national level .
You have to make your base very strong in cricket by regularly practicing and doing “boring” drills.
Academies also provide a great platform to all the players to showcase their talent in trials and matches . So it’s a must to join them for brighter future in cricket .

3. BEST AGE TO JOIN AN ACADEMY ?

Whenever you are fully convinced by your inner voice that you can devote a large part of your life to cricket , you are ready to give it a try .
However , if you want my suggestion , I would recommend that the age group of 10 – 14 is ideal for a start. But if you have the dedication towards and start performing on the field , you can start at any age .
I strongly oppose the ideology that you should join cricket academy as early as possible. Because 5-10 is a age group where kids explore and enjoy new things . They should never be told early on to focus only on one thing as their mindset become rigid . They should first start enjoying cricket and then take it seriously.The decision of joining a cricket academy must be left to them.

HOW TO CHOOSE BEST CRICKET ACADEMY ?

Never trust the online reviews of the academy . Generally , they do not speak the truth . Always physically visit the place and analyse the atmosphere yourselves .

There are many academies and coaches in every state /city who are popular for producing talented players and have a rich history of players who have played for their state or country. If you can afford it , it’s always the best option to go for such renowned cricket academy near you or in your city /state .
Such academies are very competitive as the cream layer of the state goes to them only. And this competition only forces you to improve every single day and achieve your goal.

But sadly it’s not the case for most of us in India . So one who cannot afford such big academies and want to start cricket professionally should never hesitate to join a nearby academy . There are still many academies which provide good facilities for building the base of a player at very reasonable costs .

But there are some conditions before joining any academy in your area :

They should have their own proper match ground for fielding practice and turf pitches to practice bowling and batting regularly .

Check the students to coach ratio in the academy as it is vital for a beginner to get attention and scoldings whenever required .

Since the match practice is the most essential skill in cricket , look for an academy which regularly conducts practice or inter-academy matches.

If you live in areas which do not have any facilities for cricket and are really passionate for it , you should surely visit city near you . Many players have done this before for their passion . Either you have to live with your relatives or on your own expenses. But if your family budget doesn’t allows this , you need to struggle a lot and figure out a way to earn and support your expenses and cricket too .

MY OPINION :

It would be good if you first join any nearby academy under your budget , make your basics very strong and then proceed to established academies or clubs . Cricket is just like a ladder and you cannot directly jump on the top of it . If you give 1-3 years in any good academy , you’ll get to know about your potential .

You’ll know if you can compete at higher level analysing your performance in matches and trials . And if you have same enthusiasm and learning attitude , you can take admission in renowned cricket academies in your State . Big academies usually take trials first . If you are an extraordinary talent , they will not charge anything from you . Otherwise you should be okay to invest higher money to upgrade yourselves to next level .

MY EXPERIENCE :

I entered late in cricket at 14 and with a good academy near to my house . As I had to manage school , tuitions and cricket too , it was the only option . I did not had much knowledge about academies and thought that I could play at higher level from that academy only. But then , I realised my academy did not had enough opportunities and connections to upper boards ( which is very essential ).
And after making my cricket basics very strong and performing in matches for 2 years , I wanted upgradation . Because I had performed well in matches , I built confidence that I can make career out of cricket . And because of that believe only , I took admission in one of the best cricket academies in Delhi . It has higher fees and daily long travelling hours . But the investment is worth it .

4. APPROACH TOWARDS CRICKET FOR ALL AGE GROUPS.

1. AGE : 5- 10 (PLEASE DON’T THINK ABOUT 0-5 )

I would just tell you to enjoy the game with your friends and neighbours . Play cricket as much as possible .
If you do not find any fun in playing cricket at this early age , how can you play it for years ahead?
And if you have developed interest in cricket and now you want to grow in it , you can surely opt for a good academy .
The most important thing is that you get familiar with the cricket equipment and do not feel uncomfortable while wearing gloves , helmet , pads etc. It is one of the most common problems among the beginners . And you don’t want to carry this problem when you need to focus on other major skills .
There is no point of going to cricket academies too far off from your house and investing too much time and energy in travelling. Generally , parents also don’t send their children far off .
At your age , if your school have enough facilities and good coaches for cricket, it will be the best option.

2. AGE : 10 – 14

You also need to manage your studies , so look for a nearby cricket academy .
Just focus on building your basics and upgrading your skills as much as possible .
For batters , balance is vital . So doing shadow practice and underarm drills is a must to make a strong base like any other state level or international player . During this time , focus more on timing grounded shots rather than power-hitting .
For bowlers ,work on your run-up and line and length . Do single wicket practice regularly without any batter .Try to make your bowling spot on outside off stump and good length .
Ask as much questions to your coach and clear your doubts . Make a good relationship with your coach . It will help you only in future .
Play practice or inter-academy matches once every weak . And give trials for district or state team whenever they are held .

WARNING : Never try to imitate any shots or bowling action of your favourite batsman or bowler .Don’t experiment with your shots or bowling deliveries . Play basic cricket .

3. AGE : 14 & ABOVE

Most of the suggestions would be the same as mentioned above in the two groups as you are also a beginner .
This is the most critical phase of your career . Either you make it or break it in this period .
You have to play lots and lots of matches and give trials whenever possible. Because a senior is the one who has more experience not age .
Now you are a grown-up and must travel for long to play matches or to practice (if required).
Major chunk of cricket or any other sport is fitness . And this is the age where you have to devote a good part of your practice to fitness . It includes running , sprinting and strengthening your body muscles . If you can afford going to gym too , it would be great .
At this stage you need to set your priority and manage your career accordingly .
If you are school or college student and have decided to make your career in cricket only , it would be better to study slightly light courses or subjects. Similarly , if you are doing job and making money to help your family , you need to do jobs which allow you to give sufficient time to cricket and also grow in it .
It is very difficult to opt for any tough course or job and managing cricket side by side as well .So you need to take full charge of your life and make wise decisions according to your situations .

BONUS TIPS :

Always play in nets as you are playing in a tournament match. Visualization plays a key role in improving the performance in cricket matches .Visualize any bowler, situation or field placements and then play accordingly in net practices .
As the game is advancing day by day , we should also upgrade ourselves according to time. So if you want to excel in limited overs format , you need to strengthen your upper body and arms. Now you can surely start practicing hitting sixes .
Watch cricket on TV or any other platform. You will learn a lot by watching cricketers playing at the highest level and also listening to commentators and their views .

5. CONCLUSION

All you need to start cricket and be successful in it is clarity and the zeal and enthusiasm to play cricket.
Find a good academy and also a knowledgeable cricket coach . Master your skills as soon as possible .
Your approach towards cricket should be just of growth and upgrading yourself to next level.
If you want returns from cricket , you need to invest in it as you do for studies .
Learn as much as you can from your seniors and coaches .
Cricket is a long journey and you cannot succeed in it unless you are patient enough .You will not see results early on but if you keep these steps in mind , you’ll definitely improve .

I tried my best to cover all the major points to be kept in mind while starting cricket . But cricket is a deep ocean and could not be covered in one blog . If I missed some points , you can suggest me in comments and I will make sure that I cover them in upcoming blogs .