Teen Cricketer RS Ambrish Lives Dad's Unfulfilled Dream

When one-year-old RS Ambrish took his first wobbly steps, he grabbed his father's professional cricket bat in his left hand and stood perfectly balanced. His dad, R Sukumar, knew in that moment his son was meant for the game that had eluded him.

Sukumar never made it beyond age-group cricket for Tamil Nadu despite his talent. But he's channeling every lesson from those disappointments into coaching his son toward the career he dreamed of.

At the U-19 World Cup, 18-year-old Ambrish is delivering on that promise as India's standout seam-bowling all-rounder. He bats left-handed and bowls right-arm pace, a rare combination his father deliberately cultivated to maximize his natural abilities and protect him from injury.

India has plenty of young batting talent and promising bowlers, but players who excel at both remain incredibly scarce. When Ambrish picked up a side strain before the tournament, the selection committee didn't hesitate to hold a spot for him, showing just how valuable his dual skills are.

The careful planning started early. Sukumar enrolled his son in cricket academy at age five and had him facing bowlers by six. By eight, Ambrish was competing against older boys and holding his own.

Ambrish also excelled at sprinting and long jump, regularly winning medals at his chess-focused school. Sukumar even considered steering him toward tennis, thinking individual sports might offer a clearer path than the team game that had disappointed him. But Ambrish's heart stayed with cricket.

Training at the MRF Pace Foundation exposed Ambrish to top-level fast bowling early in his development. He's been a regular at India's national summer camps since the U-16 level, with coaches monitoring his workload even in local Chennai league matches.

Why This Inspires

What makes this story special isn't just a talented teenager succeeding. It's a father transforming personal disappointment into fuel for his son's dreams without pushing too hard.

Sukumar created opportunities he never had while letting Ambrish choose his own path. When his son showed interest in other sports, he supported that too. The result is a young athlete who wants to be an all-rounder, not because his dad demanded it, but because he genuinely loves both aspects of the game.

"I know it is quite demanding, but when I'm capable of doing it, it is only fair that I give it my all," Ambrish says about his dual role. He's already made his first-class debut and caught the eye of multiple IPL franchises.

Sukumar refuses to debate whether his son is primarily a batsman or bowler, saying time will tell. What matters is that Ambrish has already surpassed his father's cricket achievements before turning 19, with countless opportunities still ahead.

The young all-rounder isn't just living his father's dream—he's building his own version of it, one match at a time.