Vriitya Aravind, an Abu Dhabi T10 League player for the Chennai Braves, and his father, an electrical engineer for DEWA – Dubai Electricity and Water Authority – relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) when he was six years old. Vriitya was too young to comprehend cricket while he was back in Chennai, but he preferred to play tennis at school. “My parents exposed me to all sports except cricket when I lived in Chennai. The 21-year-old claims, “I only became interested in cricket after I moved to the UAE.”
Vriitya used to travel to Chennai frequently as a youngster to spend time with his relatives. His favorite things to do when he gets home are still wandering around Marina Beach and having family meals out. But Vriitya’s life changed after India won the 2011 ICC Men’s World Cup.
“I visited during the summer when India won the World Cup in 2011.” I walked out into the streets to rejoice with the people after India won. I was forever changed by that moment. Although my dad has always loved cricket, I believe it was the first time I saw the game that I made the decision to play the sport,” he adds. He thinks the region’s cricket scene has been growing in recent years since the UAE cricketers have been given opportunities by the Abu Dhabi T10 League and other notable cricket competitions.
“Here in Abu Dhabi T10, we are getting a chance to rub shoulders with the best of the players in the world. It gives us great confidence when we compete with them. As we have seen, UAE has been performing well in the past 6-7 months. We defeated New Zealand as well. These tournaments give us good exposure and we are now ready to perform big teams on international platforms,” he says.
Currently showcasing his talent for the Chennai Braves in the ongoing Abu Dhabi T10, Vriitya is pleased to represent his hometown. “It’s a great feeling to play for the team I was born in. Playing for Chennai Braves is a dream come true because I get to represent my hometown of Chennai.”
In addition to playing cricket, Vriitya attends Loughborough University in England to study psychology and criminology. He also plays cricket for a Birmingham-based team in the UK. I can come play cricket in Abu Dhabi because it’s winter in England right now. Alternatively, I would need to be present and attend my exams,” he chuckles.
