Meet cricketer who was once auto rickshaw driver, didn’t have money to buy shoes, now set to earn Rs 3500000 per season
Life can turn around very soon especially if you have the motivation and desire to perform at the highest level. The same is true to young Mumbai pacer Juned Khan, who made his debut in the Irani Cup 2024 match vs the Rest of India squad in Lucknow last week.
The 24-year-old, who played his first first-class match for Mumbai, originally hails from Kannauj not far from Lucknow. But he came to Mumbai at the age of just 14 with big dreams in his eyes. Juned, who comes from a family of farmers, worked at a garments factory in Mumbai before driving an auto rickshaw to make ends meet in Mumbai in spite of being a minor back in 2014. He drove auto rickshaw from 2015 to 2018 before joining Sanjeevani Cricket Academy in 2019.
“I didn’t have money to buy spikes but many people helped me out and they backed me to keep playing regularly,” Juned was quoted as saying by Sportstar website.
“There were problems at home and I had to start working and help the family make ends meet, so I followed in the footsteps of a few elder friends from Kannauj and reached Mumbai,” Juned recounted.
“Abhishek Nayar helped me a lot. It was him to told me to stop driving autorickshaw and devote my time to cricket. Then I started training at his academy before joining as a net bowler for KKR in this season.”
– Junaid Khan the debutant for Mumbai in Irani Cup pic.twitter.com/qeJvys7xMP
— KKR Karavan (@KkrKaravan) October 6, 2024
Juned Khan makes memorable debut
The tall Mumbai pacer had an impressive start to his first-class although he picked up only one wicket in the Irani Cup 2024 match. Juned managed to dismiss Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain and MS Dhoni’s teammate Ruturaj Gaikwad for his maiden wicket – getting the batter to edge to slips.
With Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) increasing the match-fees for the cricketer from 2024-25 season, Juned Khan can potentially earn up to Rs 35 lakh this year alone. The BCCI currently pays players at the senior men’s level across three slabs. Players with over 40 first-class caps earn Rs 60,000 a day, while those who have played 21-40 games take home Rs 50,000 a day, and those who have featured in fewer than 20 games earn Rs 40,000 a day.
Juned will be falling in the third slab and if he can play 10 matches for Mumbai in this season, the young pacer will be able to earn Rs 35 lakh at least.
Team India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar spotted his talent
Incidentally, it was current Team India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar who spotted Juned Khan’s talent and called him up to be net bowler for current Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
“He has helped me in every possible way so far. Had it not been for him, I would have been nowhere near where I am now. It was him to told me stop driving the autorickshaw and devote all my time to cricket. Then, I started training at his academy. When he asked me to join KKR as a net bowler for the last IPL season, it was the best opportunity for me,” Juned said about former KKR batting coach Abhishek Nayar.