The Aravali Cricket Club: A Pipeline to the IPL
In the bustling suburb of Hathod, a quiet revolution is taking place. The Aravali Cricket Club, once a humble passion project, has quietly transformed into a pipeline from Rajasthan to the IPL. This is the story of how four players, Akash Singh, Ashok Sharma, Mukul Choudhary, and Kartik Sharma, have become the proof of its success.
The club's origins can be traced back to 2001, when former Rajasthan batter Vivek Yadav started it as a small school ground. But it wasn't until 2012 that Yadav had the means to give structure to his passion, following consecutive Ranji Trophy triumphs with Rajasthan and a two-season stint with the Delhi Daredevils. However, the land where the academy was built ran out of groundwater in 2018, forcing them to shift base to Hathod.
It was here that the club slowly expanded, eventually boasting two fully-sized cricket grounds, over a dozen nets, and hostel facilities for the 300 trainees. Vivek's long-standing dream was to see the system give respect to Rajasthan's talented pipeline of players. Since his passing in 2021, his younger brother, Vikas, has taken charge of the academy and hopes to continue being a thriving ground for young aspirants.
What makes the Aravali Cricket Club unique is the love and care that each player brings. Akash, one of the earliest members, progressed from the state's age-group set-up to the India Under-19s and then the IPL, most notably when he was part of Chennai Super Kings' title-winning squad in 2023. Ashok, on the other hand, arrived raw and quick, with batters often pulling away because he was so fast. A link to the Red Bull Speedster forwarded on the academy's WhatsApp group changed Ashok's career trajectory, leading him to win the competition, catch the eye of Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, and break through at Gujarat Titans.
The club's success has come from doing things differently. Vivek believed that players from this region had to work harder than most to be noticed, largely because of Rajasthan's broken system and administrative issues. Vikas hasn't tampered with this philosophy, and he cites Mukul's example to explain it further. Mukul's focus was on hitting sixes, and the club told coaches to not tamper with his style, which has paid off.
The Aravali Cricket Club has become a pipeline to the IPL, with four players already making it big. But Vikas' focus is on the age-groups, with around 250-300 kids training there. The club has expanded to include players from Odisha and Nepal, but growth has brought its own pressures - water, space, and expectations. Despite the challenges, the Aravali Cricket Club continues to thrive, and the story of its success is far from over.
