All of 20, Bengaluru boy and left-arm Chinaman Shivil Kaushik is setting the benchmark high for contemporaries and aspiring cricketers alike — we caught up with the only uncapped cricketer from the city to have been grabbed by Gujarat Lions to play in the forthcoming Indian Premier League Season 9, about the road ahead.
While the spinner was always fiercely passionate about cricket, like most other success stories, his story too wasn’t void of struggle. “I practice for about seven to eight hours at the Vivekananda Cricket Academy. I started training when I was eight. It was extremely hard to manage both school and coaching at the start. But I believe if you’re really passionate about something, you just make it happen,” says the spinner who won the Anil Kumble Spinstars Talent Hunt last year. Even New Zealand test cricketers were impressed by his bowling in the nets a few seasons ago.
A student at the St Joseph’s College of Commerce and a player at Social Cricketers (A KSCA league side),’ Shivil speaks of how the recent feat has made him more conscious of his abilities as a cricketer. “I’ve learnt to take charge. I used to play cricket as a passion. But after being selected by Gujarat Lions, I’m aware of the responsibilities riding on me as a player.” The youngster was bought for '10 lakh by the team during the auctions. Apart from playing for Hubli Tigers at the Karnataka Premier League, the rising cricketer has not played the game or represented a team on the domestic front. “It’s not really the monetary bit that attracts me, it’s the recognition of my talent. It’s the streak of satisfaction about the spark that the guys saw in me,” he says.
The recent news has spread a wave of excitement and anticipation across his college, family, friends and academy. But the youngster seems unfazed by the hullabaloo surrounding it. “I’m generally calm. I’ve been taught to keep my cool so I don’t get overwhelmed any more. The news is great, and it’s indeed be spotted at the start of my career. I believe focus is everything. So for now, I will give my cent percent attention to working on my flaws and sharpening my strengths,” he pipes.
Calling himself a ‘boy next door’, Shivil adds how a typical day in his life revolves around juggling college and cricket. “Since my family prioritises academics, I’m mostly in college when I’m not at the academy. My college has been extremely supportive, nevertheless,” he adds. A sports enthusiast by nature, Shivil reveals that it isn’t only cricket that he’s passionate about. “I’m quite a seasoned basketball player too. And on days when I have the luxury to laze around, I spend hours on end watching shows.”
Emphasising on how persistence pays, Shivil reiterates the importance of self-belief. “ A lot of people ask me if there’s a secret recipe to success. I tell them there’s only one thing— to just get better at what you do with every passing day,” he signs off.
