When Life Doesn’t Pick You for the Playing Eleven
Life is like a game of cricket — not just in the wins and losses, but in the quiet moments that never make it to the scoreboard. There are days when you give everything you have, train harder than ever, perform when it matters, and still watch from the sidelines as someone else walks onto the field.
Just like in cricket, life doesn’t always reward effort immediately. Many players do everything right — they score runs, take wickets, stay disciplined — yet never make it into the playing eleven. Not because they lack talent, but because of biases, politics, or timing that isn’t in their favor. That truth hurts. And pretending it doesn’t would be dishonest.
There are moments when rejection feels personal, when silence feels louder than criticism, and when self-doubt creeps in despite your hard work. You begin to wonder if giving your best is even enough. But this is where the game truly tests you — not in the applause, but in the waiting.
As The Winning Ways reminds us, the essence of winning lies beyond trophies. It lies in resilience. Time is never the same forever. Form changes. Fortunes turn. What feels like the end today may only be an interval.
The hardest part is not losing — it is holding on to hope when the world seems unfair. Yet, if you keep working, keep believing, and keep showing up with honesty and courage, you prepare yourself for the day when opportunity finally knocks.
Cricket teaches us that comebacks are real. So does life. Stay ready. Stay humble. Stay patient. Your moment will come — and when it does, it will be worth every silent struggle.
To summarize:
Life is a long innings, heavy with sky,
Waiting in pads while chances pass by.
Some balls bruise deep, some fly to the stand,
Some touch your edge when you least understand.
You fall, you rise, you wipe off the dust,
Hold onto hope when belief starts to rust.
Even when stumps lie broken in pain,
You walk back stronger, to bat once again.
