Acharya Prashant advises a young cricketer to not think too far ahead but to simply focus on playing if he truly loves the game. He suggests ensuring that the minimum material requirements for playing are met. One should just see that they remain available to play and not make playing for the national team the only measure of success. If one loves cricket, they love the act of playing itself—the ball, the bat, the wicket, the pitch—regardless of the opponent or the level of the game. He distinguishes between love and ambition, stating they cannot coexist. True success is inherent in love, not in ambition. If cricket is merely a means to achieve something else, like fame or money, one will abandon the sport if those goals are not met, which shows a lack of loyalty to the game. Love, on the other hand, would say, 'I just wanted to play cricket.' A person who truly loves the game will find a way to play, be it for the national, state, district, or even a local club team, because the primary joy is in the act of playing. To overcome the fear and pressure, which stem from a 'hit-or-miss' or 'all-or-nothing' mentality, one must change their perspective. Instead of seeing it as either making the national team (1) or being a failure (0), one should be content with playing at any level, be it 0.9, 0.7, or 0.3. When one is prepared with this mindset, the fear will disappear, and no one can take away their love for the game. He suggests arranging one's life to accommodate this love, either by earning from the sport or by having another profession that allows time for playing.
