Mumbai: Classroom And Cricket: How Do School Students Strike A Balance?

Mumbai: NL Dalmia High School, Mira Road, hosted the CICSE Inter School T20 Cricket Tournament 2024. Over 130 schools across Mumbai participated in the tournament’s different categories—under-14, under-17 and under-19 boys'. The final match was held on June 7.

These students manage their sports and academics hand in hand as their respective schools equip cricket training as an extracurricular activity. Talking about striking a balance between academics and sports, Arnav Anand Bhoge from Ryan International School (Goregaon) said, “I have created a routine for myself, wake up early, go to practice, then school, and after school, come home, rest a little, and then dedicatedly study. This helps me focus on both.” 

He played in the under-14 final match.

Another student, A Dongre from the same school, shared a similar view. He said, “My priorities are my studies. I make sure, no matter how tired I am, to maintain consistency in studies.”

Dhruv Mulay, a student of Delhi Public School, Pune, who played in the under-17 matches, talked about the potential challenges students face. 

“During exam time, if there is an important match, then we have to skip the exam and go play,” Mulay claimed.

On the other hand, Shashwath Mundke, an NL Dalmia High School student, mentioned that while cricket is his passion, he prefers not to miss his exams. 

“I self-study, no tuition. During exam time, I make sure that I am only focusing on my studies. Some students go for cricket matches during the exam, but I avoid doing that. Cricket comes before my academics for me, but studies are something that should not suffer because of my passion,” Mundke told The Free Press Journal (FPJ).

His mother, Rohini Mundke, supports her son’s sporting endeavours. 

“I believe that every child should be allowed to follow their passion. Some days, after practice, my son gets tired, so I let him rest. It is important for parents to ensure that this experience is enjoyable for the kids and not stressful,” she said.

As a coach of Vasant Vihar School, Thane, Prashant More told the FPJ that sports are as important for a student as academics. 

“Sports not only helps students feel fresh but also keeps them fit. These days, there are lots of career opportunities in sports. If students are taught at the ground level, they can make wonderful careers in sports,” More said.

Another coach, Tushar Mandre, from Ryan International School, pointed out that it gets tough for the students to manage both. “As a coach, I ensure that students enjoy what they practice. Academics are already very hard, so I don't want students to stress over sports as well. We request schools to cut them some slack by rearranging exams, letting them rest, and providing support,” Mandre told the FPJ.