Dubai: Arnav Hemant Kambli is only nine years old but he has been scoring half-centuries and even hit a century in an inter academy cricket tournament recently.
His concentration and ability to play strokes with perfection has impressed everyone including renowned players turned coaches like Jimmy Adams, Desmond Haynes, Praveen Amre, Rodney Marsh, Mudassar Nazar and Dayle Hadlee, who had trained him. Seeing Arnav’s enormous talent the International Cricket Council (ICC) Academy selected him at the age of six to accompany legendary cricketers and captains Shahid Afridi and Graeme Smith for the toss before the 2010 one-day international between Pakistan and South Africa at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. This incident created a huge impact in the boy’s mind and now every day he dreams of becoming an international cricketer and works relentlessly to improve his batting as well as off-spin bowling skills. So enthusiastic is Arnav that he also keeps wicket.
Arnav impressed everyone at the age of eight while playing in the Sharjah Cricket Council Under-13 tournament. Opening the innings for G Force Academy, he batted till the 18th over to score 30 runs in the final against Emirates Cricket Training team.
Gopal Jasapara, the coach of the G Force Academy, where Arnav has been training since 2009, says: “Arnav has amazing cricketing sense. He is focused and disciplined. He has toured England with the academy every year since 2009 and performed consistently in all our tour matches.”
Arnav bagged the best batsman award twice in the Epsom Cricket Festival in England. He also bagged the best performer award in the Intra Cup and former Test star Aakash Chopra presented him with the rising star award in 2012.
In February this year, Arnav scored his first century. He hit an unbeaten 116 with seven sixes and 13 boundaries against Springs Academy chasing a target of 170 runs in 25 overs.
Arnav’s parents are both cricketers. His mother Preeti, who drives Arnav every day for training as well as matches, has represented Mumbai women’s team while his father, Hemant Kambli, played for the Oman national team.
“Arnav uses all spare time to sharpen his game at home and outside,” said Preeti. “The day he hit his century, he was at the ground from 6.30am and played two matches that day.”
Arnav, who captains Ryan Star International School, also excels at chess and athletics.
“My dream to become a good all-rounder and I will work hard for it every day,” he said.
