A story of resilience: Akash Gautam overcomes challenges to shine in cricket

Every player dreams of reaching the pinnacle of their sport, and the journey is often characterized by unwavering dedication, years of training, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. But for most players, the path to professional success is a challenging one, and very few get to taste the glory of the highest level of competition. For 17-year-old, Akash Gautam, who has had a memorable season in the inaugural edition of the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), ongoing at the Dadoji Kondadev Stadium in Thane, cashed in on the opportunity when it came to him. The KVN Bangalore Strikers bought him for Rs 3.4 Lakh during the auction, as per an ISPL press release.

When Akash was in Class 10 studying at a private school in Noida, he decided to take up cricket after watching his elder brother play, who he also considers him as his idol. He recalled, "My elder brother was into cricket and that is what inspired me. Once his shoulder was dislocated, he left playing but he told me to join an academy and continue playing. After that, I joined a government school in Delhi. So, I used to attend the academy in the morning and school in the evening. After that, the pandemic hit the world and after a gap of one year, I joined another academy in Noida."

"At first, I faced a lot of struggle. The fees for the academy was Rs 3,500 and to pay that fees, I worked as a delivery boy for Zomato for two years. As soon as the head of the academy found out about my job, he reduced my fees and slowly it was waived off. There was a time when I had no money to even go to the academy for my training. Thankfully, my brother got a good job and he paid for my training," he added. While Akash was clear in his mind of what he wanted to do, his parents wanted him to take a government job. He said, "My family wanted me to join a government job but my focus was always on playing cricket. I was sure that with the capabilities that I have, I will definitely make a name for myself in the sport."

The teenager has taken three wickets from five matches and has a bowling economy of 2.5 to his name. He shed light on how he went for the trials for ISPL and how the league will revolutionize the game. He expressed, "I was not even interested in filling up the form. The cost of the form was Rs 1,200 and I did not have that much money but it was my brother who filled the form on my behalf." "There are a lot of people who were struggling in this format of cricket to make a name for themselves but now they have this golden opportunity to showcase their skills on a global platform. Playing in front of thousands of fans is really special. I never thought that so many fans will come to the stadium and enjoy tennis ball cricket. The quality of the matches being played is so high and the players are giving their everything to put up a remarkable show for the audience. I feel that street cricket is getting its recognition," he added.

The inaugural edition is witnessing six teams - Majhi Mumbai, Srinagar ke Veer, Chennai Singams, Tigers of Kolkata, Falcon Risers Hyderabad and Bangalore Strikers will vie for honours. The league kicked off on March 6 and will go on March 15, 2024, in Mumbai.