The youngest of the cricketers brought in to the UAE side when five players were banned because of a corruption investigation had to interrupt his A-levels to play.
One of the ironies of the disagreeable situation surrounding the game here is that Vriitya Aravind, that 17-year-old newbie, hopes to study criminology when he leaves school.
It is fair to say his final year at Kings Al Barsha in Dubai has been an uncommon one.
Not for him the usual routine of mock exams, revision, stress, final exams, then prom, before heading off into the big wide world.
When his schoolmates were sitting their mocks, back in January, he was representing the country at cricket at the Under 19 World Cup in South Africa instead.
He was due to sit them at the team hotel, with the team’s coach invigilating, but the school agreed he should focus on his cricket at that time.
And now, a global pandemic has ended the prospects of final exams, too, meaning his academic future will be decided by predicted grades. And he will have his graduation ceremony – on his birthday – remotely.
“That is something different – an online graduation,” Aravind said with a laugh.
“The school have supported me a lot, telling me to concentrate on my cricket during the World Cup.
“They said to focus on that, then once I got back, we’d have a meeting with my parents and discuss the situation, and to concentrate on my real exams.
“Unfortunately – or fortunately! - even that has been cancelled.”
No part of the culmination of his school career has run smooth.
There remains a little uncertainty over what happens next, as he aims for a university place studying criminology and psychology.
“I have missed a lot of exams in that time [the past two years], so they have given me a lot of exam questions to do during this quarantine time,” he said.
“They have marked those, and will use that as evidence for my predicted grades.”
The fact he has been absent from school so frequently in recent times has been down to his excellence as a cricketer.
Even when he made his debut for the senior UAE team at the end of last year, in a one-day international against United States, he should have been doing a psychology test.
He regards the subsequent trip to the World Cup, in South Africa in January, as an opportunity that could not be missed.
Ultimately, it ended in "the most frustrating moment", with rain depriving UAE an outside shot at beating the host nation, after Aravind himself had got their chase off to a rapid start.
It meant they missed out on a place in the last eight, but the young wicketkeeper-batsman still says, “the World Cup was an experience of a lifetime”.
“I think I learned a lot, on the field and off the field, and they are things I will carry throughout my life,” Aravind said.
“Playing in the men’s team helped me a lot, learning from players like Rohan Mustafa and Ahmed Raza.
“Ahmed was also on tour with us in South Africa, and he gave us some insights into tactics.
"It was something new for us, playing on TV and with legends commentating on us, and giving us advice.”
Although the movement restrictions in place because of coronavirus have led to cricket being stalled – and two UAE tours, so far, being postponed – Aravind says at least he has managed to find a routine.
Mornings have been devoted to studies, while afternoons have been about cricket conditioning.
That has seen him strengthen up, thanks to a loan of some free weights from the facilities management of the building he lives in in Al Mankhool, as well as running nearly 80 miles around his compound so far.
“I have managed to have a good routine in quarantine, and it has helped me become stronger and fitter,” he said.
“In the morning, I have online schooling, and have done eight online university courses already.
“I have done a lot of forensic psychology, and also a lot of stuff related to cricket, like sports mindset and mental toughness. That will help me in my cricket as well.
“And in the evenings I have been doing a lot. I have run 79 miles so far since the start of quarantine – just around my compound, not going too far.
“I’m pushing myself to be the best I can be.”
Results
2.15pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner: Hello, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihi (trainer).
2.45pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner: Right Flank, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh115,000 1,000m
Winner: Leading Spirit, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
3.45pm: Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 Dh575,000 1,600m
Winner: Chiefdom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,400m
Winner: Ode To Autumn, Patrick Cosgrave, Satish Seemar.
4.45pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh125,000 1,200m
Winner: Last Surprise, James Doyle, Simon Crisford.
5.15pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,200m
Winner: Daltrey, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihi.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Valencia v Atletico Madrid (midnight)
Mallorca v Alaves (4pm)
Barcelona v Getafe (7pm)
Villarreal v Levante (9.30pm)
Sunday
Granada v Real Volladolid (midnight)
Sevilla v Espanyol (3pm)
Leganes v Real Betis (5pm)
Eibar v Real Sociedad (7pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Osasuna (9.30pm)
Monday
Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (midnight)
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFirst%20match%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2020%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%2016%20round%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%203%20to%206%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuarter-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%209%20and%2010%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESemi-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2013%20and%2014%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2018%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESteven%20Knight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMark%20Ruffalo%2C%20Hugh%20Laurie%2C%20Aria%20Mia%20Loberti%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog:
Languages: Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, basic Russian
Favourite food: Pizza
Best food on the road: rice
Favourite colour: silver
Favourite bike: Gold Wing, Honda
Favourite biking destination: Canada
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Background: Chemical Weapons
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
