She is a 9-year-old girl studying in ‘Margshre Public School’, Delhi.

We all know the fact that every child is special. It’s not necessary for every single of them to excel in all fields, but that does not mean that they are any less than other children. A child may not be a topper, but the same child can be an excellent orator or cricketer. Acknowledging their abilities and making their children realize that they are special is a very important thing as a parent. Each parent wishes to find the special talent in their child so that the child can excel and shine. Often, the weight of their aspirations burdens and demoralizes their child too much.

But then there are kids like Ridhi Mishra, who not only try to fulfill their parents’ expectations but also excel at that. She is a 9-year-old girl studying in ‘Margshre Public School’, Delhi. Since a young age, she has been watching her father talk about cricket and how he always wanted to be a cricketer as a young boy. She watched the entire nation get in ecstasy when it came to cricket matches. Twenty-two men out in a stadium hitting a poor ball with a bat and running for life as if everything depended on it, raised her interest. Watching her father during a cricket match was absolutely magical. She enjoyed all the things about the game. The sound of the ball hitting the middle of the bat; the sound of the ball clinking the stumps; batsman taking guard; bowler going on his mark. Everything was fascinating.

Every parent wants to give their children the best start in life, yet knowing when to introduce them to learning an instrument or hitting a ball is tricky. As the child grows, there is a window of opportunity when their experiences structure their flourishing brain at a particular age. During this time, your child’s neural circuits are especially open to learning through new episodes. After the window closes – though it never slams totally shut – the brain can still learn that skill, but it’s harder, and the results are rarely as good. She had always been interested in sports hence at a young age of 7, she joined ‘Harry Cricket Academy’ to train as a cricketer.

The concept that cricket and academics can coexist without affecting each other is something that most parents in our country don’t really agree upon. It’s very common to hear stories of kids, who grew up playing cricket and admiring the national team. They dreamt of being a part of the national team but had to, unfortunately, let go of their aspirations with their parents invariably pulled them out of sports and athletics to focus on studies.

But as the common saying goes, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

This particular idiom states that a healthy balance of both is essential to allow the gear of physical, intellectual and emotional development in any growing child to flourish. Additionally, playing a sport also imparts qualities like leadership, teamwork, and sportsmanship early in life.

She considers herself very lucky as her parents are extremely supportive. She is good at academics and also enjoys balancing her studies and cricket together. Her father drives her to training classes daily and often practices with her. Many parents act as volunteer coaches during their kids’ initial years. These efforts are commendable. However, the value of employing a qualified, enthusiastic coach is much more beneficial. Coaches with experience can be more relatable. They can converse with kids on their level and most importantly keep their attention and get them to do as they say. She has been training regularly under G. S. Harry for two years. She is a very dedicated girl and wants to focus on the lessons and the physical and mental health that she can gain as she develops her skill and talent. In this way, she will grow into a well-rounded individual who possesses the discipline and good attitude towards others.

She has been a part of many sports events and also has won the ‘Runner-up’ in KFC TROPHY which was held in the memory of Smt. Shakuntala Gupta (Delhi Women Cricket Cup) 2019 organized by HARRY CRICKET ACADEMY.

Academic and social pressures, especially the need to fit in, are major concerns for kids these days. Extracurricular activities can be a very useful outlet. Ridhi will be an inspiration to the young kids of our country to not give in social pressures and stand out in a crowd. The newfound interest in sports will aid in skill development, especially in imparting 21st-century skills to kids.