3 Indian players who left engineering or medical careers for cricket

Becoming a professional cricketer is anything but easy. The sport’s popularity has soared in recent decades, and while reaching the top can be immensely rewarding, the risks of falling short are daunting. That’s why many budding cricketers are advised to keep an alternative career option in hand, a safety net to fall back on if things don’t go as planned.

Interestingly, some of India’s finest cricketers not only conquered the game but also pursued demanding academic paths in engineering or medicine. Here’s a look at three such players who combined trophies on the field with degrees off it.

1. Ravichandran Ashwin

India’s former off-spinner holds a B.Tech in Information Technology from SSN College of Engineering, Chennai. Before cricket took over his destiny, Ashwin even worked for a firm after graduation. He has often recalled how his parents insisted he enrol in engineering after U17 cricket.

Ashwin went on to become one of India’s most successful spinners, finishing his international career with 765 wickets across formats.

2. VVS Laxman

Born on November 1, 1974, in Hyderabad, Laxman grew up in a family of doctors. His father, Dr. Shantaram, and mother, Dr. Satyabhama, were both renowned physicians of their time. Naturally, his family wanted him to follow in their footsteps, which led him to enroll in an MBBS program.

But cricket’s lure grew stronger with each passing day. Laxman eventually dropped out to chase his dream of playing for India. The gamble paid off: he became one of India’s finest middle-order batters, scoring 8781 runs in 134 Tests at an average of 45.97, with 17 centuries and 56 fifties. Today, he heads the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

3. Anil Kumble

The legendary leg-spinner earned a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from RV College of Engineering, Bangalore. Yet his passion for cricket proved stronger, and he chose to pursue the sport full-time.

Kumble remains India’s most successful bowler in both ODIs and Tests, with 334 wickets in ODIs and a staggering 619 wickets in Tests, the highest by an Indian in both formats.