Professional Interviews Kashif Anwar (Player of VCA and RR)

Q. What is your motivation for choosing and pursuing this career?

I started playing cricket at the age of 9 It all started by watching cricket matches and playing gully cricket My relatives suggested my parents admit me to any cricket club At first, my parents were not ready to send me to any club as I was only 9 years old But after watching my passion for cricket they were convinced to send me to the club at the age of 11 the main reason for joining the cricket club was my passion and dedication towards cricket, at that time I realized that cricket is the field I want to make a career in it After I started playing for the club I got selected for the under-13 team of VCA(Vidarbha Cricket Association)

I had to switch my school to cricket and I was searching for a school where importance was given to cricket As I was playing good cricket year by year I got selected for 18, under-23 teams

Question- Tell us something about your daily disciplinary routine and training session

During my offseason I start my day with a fitness session from 6:00 am to 7:30 am then I start my indoor practice session from 8:00 am to 10:00 am, and then from 10:30 am onwards I have my Gym session till 1 pm I take a 1-hour nap in the afternoon In the evening I go for fielding sessions and various bowling drills. In the offseason, I gave personal coaching to under-19 teams

Q What struggles did you face at the beginning of your career?

As I was from a middle-class family and financially not that strong, as we know cricket is an expensive game I face difficulty in buying cricket equipment and paying my club fees As I started playing good cricket my club started sponsoring me and club fees were also paid off As I was selected by VCA all the cricket equipment was provided by them Now I have completed my MBA in Sports Management, my family is relaxed as I can play and earn from Royals Last year I got selected as the Net bowler for Rajasthan Royles IPL Franchise on a contract basis

Q. What are your Future Plans?

I have decided to dedicate Two years from now wholly to cricket and I aim to make a debut in any ipl franchise and get a place in the Vidarbha Ranji team

Q What is the go-to strategy that keeps you moving?

The most important thing in any sport is Diet, Fitness, sleep, and Income So if I invest my income properly in my diet and fitness then I will be fit and I can give my 100% to the game As the trials for Rajasthan royals are to start so I have been preparing for it for the last 2-3 months so that I can give my best in those 15 days of trials I try to make Disciplined in my routine and training so that all my planning and strategy go smoothly

Q What is your Insightful message for the Youngsters?

If the Individual is a sports person he/she Should maintain Discipline throughout life Planning and Discipline so be going hand and hand to maintain the work-life balance Maintain your daily Time table to be successful in life

A cellphone is one of the major drawbacks for our youngsters in this world so use cell phones accordingly Maintain Education with sports as they are equally important in our life, Make friends wisely

Q. What encouraged you to start your career in the field?

I started my interest as a sportsperson by playing cricket when I was 14, and have tried to play for under 19 but due to some unavoidable circumstances I cannot move further to get in the team and then, later on, started the new line as a fitness trainer but then after doing a lot of research and also continuing my cricket game I planned to start my career as the fitness trainer But at first, I was working normally, but later my seniors and mentors guided me to take this to the professional level Later after that, I started doing certificate courses and now I am working passionately on fitness and happy to see the changes so And simultaneously I pursuing my academics as well

Q Can you please enlighten us about your training sessions?

Since my interest from the very beginning was in cricket and hence my training sessions include strength and conditioning mostly for cricket players, as it becomes easy for me to understand everything from scratch when it comes to giving training to the players. 70% of the clients are cricket players only, and my training helps the players to perform well on the field But as a certified trainer, my training is wholesome and includes body conditioning and performance enhancement as well.

Q. Please tell us about your routine concerning your training

A trainer never focuses on just one-day training session My training includes a few months’ schedule which is beneficial for the players in the long run

My day starts at 6 in the morning, the first session is jogging and the rest depends upon the requirements of the specific clients The categories consist of weight lifting, bodyweight training, resistance training that is given with the help of resistance bands and many other forms My sessions depend upon the schedule of the players as to when they are supposed to go for the matches My training also includes the workload and stress management of my players I only decide the number of matches they can play given their strengths, capabilities, diet, and muscular and mental recovery

Q. Can you please tell us about the struggles that you might have faced in the early stage of your career

I started my career at the age of 14, which was a struggle in itself And the motivation for me that encouraged me to play is my participation in the under-19 tournament After all this, I was still not able to perform properly due to stress and fear And hence for the players to not get stressed I started stress management training sessions in my routine As I was unable to perform I decided to help and encourage the players on the ground and have done that for almost 2 years out of generosity

Q. What are your plans?

I am planning to set up a gym with a multi-purpose ground that will help the clients to stay connected with nature and help them jog and prepare them to play without any stress