How to choose your cricket role model?

Our first role models are our own parents. They have an important formative influence on our lives. Of course role models can be both positive and negative. But as children, we do not have the necessary knowledge to decide what is good or bad. We simply ‘model’ ourselves after someone who is important to us, starting with our parents. When we go to school and start forming our own network, we model ourselves after peers, teachers, ‘cool kids’ and many times celebrities. We admire them, hold on to their words and emulate their behaviors in our own lives.

As a cricketer, having the right model presents many different advantages. A role model in sports shows us an image of who we want to be in the future. They inspire us, motivate us, and give us visual proof that what we aim for can be achieved in reality. But choosing the right role model cannot be done so easily. Just because a cricketer has made it big and is successful at his/her game doesn’t automatically make them an eligible role model.

Charles Barkley, one of the NBA greats, had created quite the stir when he publicly said, “I am not a role model.” He explained that dunking a basketball doesn’t entitle him to be a role model for kids, instead emphasizing that parents should be the ideal role models.

Many cricket clubs these days encourage having a ‘proximal’ role model. This is someone who might not have made it ‘big’ but is an ideal player who younger players should embody, in the club/academy itself. This is a player who kids can relate to and visually process right in front of them. They can see their role model react and respond to different situations, and practice them in their own lives.

Now that we know how important it is to choose the right role model in cricket, let’s look at some of the aspects we have to remember.

Sportsmanship

Playing cricket without sportsmanship takes away the ‘gentleman’ from the gentleman’s game. Displays of sportsmanship on the field add more beauty to this already beautiful sport and it gives us more reasons to keep playing it.

One of the more recent instances of sportsmanship in international cricket was during the 2019 World Cup when New Zealand’s on-field demeanor was applauded worldwide. Though their defeat was hard to accept, they handled it wonderfully, showing the world that ultimately, it is Cricket which is the real winner.

When you choose a cricket role model, don’t just look at the stats on the scoreboard, and the efficiency of their shots or swings, but look at their displays of sportsmanship. Performances and scores will come and go, but sportsmanship is the real test of a cricketer’s character.

Healthy lifestyle

To be a great cricketer, you need to have great health first. You need to have a healthy lifestyle and a properly planned fitness regime. Though we see many athletes with well-sculpted physiques on social media, don’t let appearances deceive you. Your role model should inspire you to take care of your body in a fun and positive way. Their actions shouldn’t make you feel guilty and insecure. Cricketers like Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis and Andre Russell all encourage an intuitive balance between the gym and the table. It is also important to take into your account your own lifestyle and food preferences. It would not make a positive difference if your role-model is someone who consumes lean- beef and eggs for lunch but your family is purely vegetarian.

Balance

In a dog-eat-dog world, hard work and hustle is the normative. If you are not seen over-working, then you are probably doing something wrong. This is the same with sports. If you are not training hard at the cost of your physical health, mental health, social life, hobbies and fun in general, this is probably why you are not the best cricketer in your academy. This just doesn’t come from coaches but also parents and your peers. Thus, overreaching and overtraining leading to burnouts is very common in sports. (Read https://mindyourwicket.in/2021/04/23/burnouts-how-to-prevent-them/). It is important to have a balance between your work and personal life, and the sooner you find a way to do it, the better it will be. One of the ways in which to do so is to follow a role model who also follows a balanced life. Find a role model who would not only encourage you to work hard, but play hard as well – someone who is not only proud of his/her on-field accomplishments but also is excited about their family, their alone time, their other activities, etc.

Everyone’s favorite, AB de Villiers is a good example of a cricketer who practices good balance. He participates regularly in various sports, at the same time ensuring he has a healthy relationship with his main game – cricket. Cross-training, as it is, has already been known to improve performance in the main sport and also prevent burnouts. A cricket role model should show you not only how to dedicate yourself to the game, but also how to have fun and variety outside it.

Some questions you might want to ask yourself when you are looking for a role model are:

What goals do you want to achieve?
How do you want the world to see you?
What principles do you follow? What are your core beliefs?
What habits do you need to develop?
What are your motivators?

Research and find a role model who would help you in your cricket journey. But always remember, it is YOU that the world wants to see. Your identity shouldn’t be stemming off your role models’. They’re just there to push you forward.