New Delhi: Seven years back, the then 21-year-old Saurabh Kumar faced a common career dilemma --- pursue his passion or secure a safe future.
Employed with Indian Air Force on sports quota, Saurabh was at the crossroads. He had a secure central government job with all the perks but his heart pushed him to play professional cricket and earn that coveted India jersey.
"There comes a moment in life when you have to take a decision. Jo bhi ho lena padhta hai," the 28-year-old orthodox left-arm spinner and newest entrant to the Indian Test squad told PTI in an interview.
"It was a tough decision to quit playing Ranji Trophy for the Services. I loved being an Indian Air Force man and part of Indian defence but there was a part of me that felt that I have it in me to work hard and play for India," the cricketer, who hails from UP's Baghpat District said.
Read: Rustam Akramov, football coach who gave international debut to Bhaichung, is dead
"I was posted in Delhi. I played for Services in the Ranji Trophy for one year (2014-15 season) when Rajat Palliwal was our captain.
"Since I was a sports quota entry, I didn't have to do any duty apart from play for Services. If I had quit cricket, then I would have had to do full-time duty," he recollected the old days.
Hailing from a middle-class family, his father worked as a JE (Junior Engineer) at the All India Radio. His parents were firmly supportive of his decision to trade profession with passion.
"It is amazing that when I told my parents that I am leaving Air-force job, they didn't for once asked me to reconsider. Both were very supportive of my choice.
"It was my decision to leave IAF but when I saw that parents were supportive, I got a lot of confidence to independently pursue my dream," Saurabh said.
Left-arm spinner's doggedness
There is something about left-arm spinners that make them special and one of the character traits is the doggedness which Saurabh believes that he had in abundance.
"Now, we stay in Ghaziabad but during those early days of playing cricket in Delhi, it was a big ordeal. In my town Baraut in Baghpat district, we didn't have great coaching facilities. So I had to take a daily train to come to Delhi for my training at National Stadium," he said.
For the uninitiated, Saurabh's coach is Sunita Sharma, the only female cricket Droancharya in India, whose other notable disciple is former keeper Deep Dasgupta.
"If I had a 2:00pm afternoon nets. I left home at 10 am in the morning. It would be a three and half hour train journey and another half an hour to reach the stadium. And same while coming back. It was tough but that's what helped me when I look back," said the man, who had 95 wickets in last two first-class seasons (2018-19, 2019-20).
"When you are 15 or 16 year old, you don't realise. Aap mein junoon itna hota hai, ki kuch bhi aapko mushkil nahi agta hai sir (When you have so much passion, nothing looks difficult)."