“There’s a thin line between fearless and careless.”
Among the many statements Atharva Ankolekar made during the entire conversation, one line stood out, and it best defined the 24-year-old all-rounder’s journey. Shortly after he was born, his father, Vinod Ankolekar, placed a bat next to him, a symbolic gesture.
Through his journey to become a top-level cricketer, Atharva witnessed his father’s struggles, his mother’s steadfast support, and his brother Parth’s early cricketing steps.
All of those emotions and his cricketing journey flashed briefly in front of him when the Eagle Thane Strikers placed their trust, with an INR 16.25 lakh bid. While to the outside world, that sum might look minuscule before the Indian Premier League (IPL) bids, it is a life-changing moment for the Ankolekar household.
“For somebody who has seen so many struggles, there is a lot of value in money,” Atharva said in an exclusive conversation during T20 Mumbai 2025.
That bid is not a reassurance for Atharva to pursue his dream; it is a sum that repays all the trust, hard work and dedication his parents put into the 24-year-old to achieve his cricketing dreams. His father, Vinod, was a long-standing employee in the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST), where he worked in the electricity division.
His mother, Vaidehi, not only helped him during the early stages of his cricketing career but also turned a breadwinner following her husband's death, working in the same organisation as a bus conductor.
“Now it's time for her to reap the rewards. I am feeling really good now. The important thing about the money is that it makes the family feel a little more secure, and once the family feels secure, there’s less mental pressure,” he added.
“You don’t have to worry about the family, and there are no constant thoughts of ‘What to do’.”
But never during this entire struggle had Atharva wanted to quit cricket.
“No, I have to play cricket for my father. I have to play for India, that’s my goal. I have never had the intention to quit the sport, and when my dad passed away, my mom motivated me further and never made me feel that I should quit the sport.
“I think my dad is still with me, and all my success is purely because of him and his vision. I feel good about my own game now, and I just want to follow the same path and become a better cricketer,” he added.
These emotions have shaped a young Atharva as he has grown up in the cricketing world, one step at a time. Like most youngsters in the country, Atharva started as a batter before he took up left-arm spin.
It wasn’t until 2020, when the 19-year-old spinner struck four times and made headlines, taking the India U-19 side to the final, where they eventually lost against Bangladesh.
