Careers in cricket 

A plenty of cricketers in India are asked to discontinue their sporting career because of lack of career options and huge amount of instability. However, it is only an assumption, the truth is that there is not enough knowledge in the society about the plausible career options. Yes, playing for the country is a dream for many but only a handful can achieve this dream. Yes, the future as a player is quite ambiguous and there are high risks involved. But, we as individuals and as society must understand that there are other paths that can be opted in this field to attain success. 

Here, in this article by ZAP cricket we will discuss the plausible career prospects in the field of cricket. 

• Professional player: Being a professional cricketer would be the first and foremost target of any player. They can prepare themselves for Board cricket which is conducted annually by the BCCI. Both men and women players are paid a decent fee and hence financial stability is ensured. Other than that, one can also play franchise cricket from various teams. Now, more and more state associations are setting up their own franchise leagues, which means there will be more opportunities for players to showcase their talent. Players can also play cricket in other countries, for example, county in the UK, etc.  A lot of international players, like Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara etc, too go and play professional cricket in UK. 

• Trainer: Players can do professional training courses like ASCA and many more. After obtaining the certificate, they can get associated with teams at state and national level. Perks include all the benefits that are provided to any player. 

• Coaching/mentor: Another option is to become a professional coach. Anyone can do a professional course which is regularly conducted by the BCCI, ICC etc. After being a certified coach, one can become a coach of any state/ national team based on their credentials. Many former players take up this option as they already have significant knowledge in the field. A great example of cricketer turned coach is Rahul Dravid. 
  
  Credit: Hindustan Times 

• Video analysts: This again requires professional certification. It is a good option as now almost all the teams travel with 2-3 video analysts. It helps in correcting the minute errors in skills of players and hence they are an essential part of any team. 

• Manager: One can even opt to become manager of any team. This doesn’t require any professional certification. Job includes managing smooth functions and ensuring all resources are duly provided to the players. 

• Throw down specialist: Cricket is evolving and elite players like Shikhar Dhawan, Faf du Plessis  etc. prefer to play throw downs from specialists so that they prepare well against pacers. Hence all the teams hire 2-3 side arm specialists. This too doesn’t require any certification, but the specialist needs to practice a lot in order to become good in his profession. 
  
  Credit: Deccan Herald 

• Selector: This option is open for players who have played a certain number of board matches. Perks of the job are many. The selectors are the ones who take all the important calls.

• Agent: Cricket agents help in connecting players with local clubs in different countries. They create a link between both the parties and earn through commissions. Many domestic players move to countries like the UK, US etc in their off season so that they can play club cricket in foreign countries.

• Scorer: Like coaching, scoring too requires professional certification. One can do a course conducted by the BCCI. After completion, they can become a scorer in the board matches. 

Umpire: Becoming an umpire is not an easy job, it requires a lot of exams to be cleared. It is a good option in the cricket field as there are many perks. Umpires get a decent amount as their match fees, along with that, they get to travel and explore new places.

• Match referee: The role of match referee is to ensure that the matches are conducted as per rules and regulations and there is no breach in terms of discipline, doping etc. It is also a good option and it too requires a professional certification. Usually though, this post is given to ex India players.

• Business: Since cricket is the most common sport in India, the demand for cricket equipment is also high. Hence, one can start business in the field.