Starting to dream cricket as career in India isn’t easy and it can not be a short term decision. You need to think a lot if you want to make cricket as a career in India in terms of the hard work and commitment you would have to put through. Once you have made a final decision to opt for cricket as a career in India, you can follow the following steps-

1. Join a cricket club or sports coach. You should be clear if you choose cricket as career in India then you have to choose between cricket and education. Its a great jig saw puzzle. If you choose cricket career then you have to join good training. So you will have to choose when you face the same roadblock and you need to be clear on that.

2. Then, you will have the domestic matches. Corporate matches, division leagues and other sub-domestic games which will be a pathway for you to enter the elite teams.

3. Perform and try joining the Under 19’s which is the third step in your cricketing career. This is the ICC branded team and performing here will seal your place in the team. You have the Inter-Continental cup, World cup, and other elite competitive tournaments.

3. Then, you have tournaments which gain the selector’s attention. Ranji, Vijay Hazare, Duleep, are some so as to quote. Playing for Ranji is a player’s dream. Perform well there and puff, you are directly under the selector’s radar. You will be noticed. Consistent in that and you might get a ticket.

4. Final step is The Indian Cricket team.

Personal advice: Think twice before making a decision. Once you are into cricket, there is no turning back. Perform. Rise high. Repeat.

Few players who got noticed and found a way into the Indian Cricket team were Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja, Karun Nair, Naman Ojha, Ravichandra Ashwin etc and others. They were all amateurs and starters at one point just like you. They made a mark and kept rising.