From seven-year-olds to teenagers, aspiring cricketers chase a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Dubai: The afternoon air in Abu Dhabi carried a nervous buzz. Youngsters in crisp whites tightened their pads, checked their grips, and looked toward the nets where dreams were about to be tested. For four days, boys and girls aged between seven and nineteen have been taking part in the Robin Singh Relations Cricket Academy’s scholarship trials — a gateway to a fully funded programme and, for many, a first step toward their cricketing dreams.
The scholarship offers more than free coaching; it offers direction, exposure, and belief. For the hopefuls gathered in the capital, that promise was enough to stir equal measures of excitement and anxiety.
Nishita, a spirited young all-rounder from Tamil Nadu. She smiled shyly when asked about her goals. “My aim is to get past the first stage — and have fun,” she said. Fun, though, came with ambition. “One day, I want to play for India.”
Her friend Mehreen, just 12, already had a small trophy to her name — best bowler in an ECB girls’ mini-tournament. “I’m nervous, but I’m looking forward to it,” she admitted. “I’ve been playing for five or six years, and I want to play at higher levels — maybe for India.”
That quiet conviction was echoed by Farhan Hisham, a thoughtful 14-year-old from Kerala who bowls medium pace and bats right-handed. “It’s an exciting opportunity,” he said. “When something like this comes along, you have to grab it. If I get selected, I know there will be sacrifices — less time with friends, travelling, managing studies — but when you get an opportunity like this, you have to seize it.”
For many, that balancing act between cricket and academics is already a daily test. Sairam, a ninth grader, has been playing since he was in third grade. “I’m excited for the trials and looking for an opportunity to play at a higher level — with better facilities and coaches,” he said. His short-term goal is clear: earn a place in the UAE camp and make an impact in the ECB tournament. The long-term? “Play in the IPL and reach the best level possible.”
Nearby, Ashil, an opener and off-spinner from Zayed Cricket Academy, stood with quiet focus. A familiar face in UAE age-group cricket, he was part of the UAE Under-16 team that won the West Asia Cup earlier this year — an experience that has deepened his hunger to improve.
“I’m really excited for these trials,” he said. “There’s so much to learn and achieve.” His short-term target is to break into the UAE Under-19 camp, but his eyes are set further. “Eventually, I want to play in India — and for India.” Balancing science studies with daily training, he admitted, requires “a lot of discipline — less screen time, fewer outings, and waking up early.”
If the older boys showed discipline, the younger ones supplied unfiltered joy. Advik, in Grade 2, was beaming at the thought of batting in front of coaches. Anmol, only ten, declared his ambitions boldly: “I want to play for India — and beat Australia!”
At seven, Yuvin was the youngest among them, his bat nearly as tall as he was, but not his ambitions. “I started cricket when I was four,” he said proudly. “I want to be like Sachin Tendulkar.” When asked if he was ready for the hard work it takes, he nodded with quiet confidence. “Yes. These trials will help me go there.”
For Anis, an eighth-grader and all-rounder, the focus was on steady progress. “I want to play professionally,” he said. “For now, I’ll try my best in this programme and keep improving.”
Amid the excitement, Mr. Srinivasa Babu, Promoter of RSR Cricket Academy, reminded the gathering what was at stake. The chosen players, he announced, will receive a one-year full scholarship, including free coaching, kit bags, apparel, accommodation, and education support. “We’ll also take them to tournaments in the UK and South Africa — all at our cost,” he said during the inauguration ceremony at GEMS United Indian School. “This programme is about opportunity, commitment, and the lessons we’ve learned through years of developing young cricketers.”
The occasion also saw Mr. K. George Mathew, Principal of GEMS United Indian School, present RSR kit bags to 22 aspiring talents in the presence of Vice-Principal Mr. Shaikh Murad Sarfraz, both ardent cricket enthusiasts. The young players accepted them with wide smiles — the first tangible symbol of their new journey.
And as they took the field, one could sense that the dreams were no longer distant. The vision of rubbing shoulders with Indian greats like Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli, and one day donning the India jersey, no longer felt out of reach — it had just been born on a school ground in Abu Dhabi.