Pakistan seamer Umar Gul: “My advice to all youngsters will be the same as the advice that my mentor Bakhtiar Mohammad gave to me which was to not fall into the trap of worrying about making more money or becoming famous”
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Pakistan pace bowler Umar Gul has advised youngsters not to chase after money and fame, and instead focus all their attention on cricket.
Gul said his mentor, Bakhtiar Mohammad, taught him this important lesson and urged him not to be distracted by greed.
Gul is grateful that he was told this as he said money and fame came naturally after he started putting all his attention on cricket and performing well.
“During the course of my career, I have received a lot of good advice from some great people but there is one piece of advice that I will never forget,” he told PakPassion. “When I was first selected for a domestic Under-19 side a close acquaintance and mentor of mine, Bakhtiar Mohammad, told me never to lust after money and fame but to focus on cricket and give it first priority.
“He told me that if I got my priorities right and performed well on the field, then money and fame would come to me by themselves. I remembered this advice throughout my career and kept my focus on cricket alone, without being distracted. As a result, the Almighty rewarded me with a great career and the respect of my countrymen.
“My advice to all youngsters will be the same as the advice that my mentor Bakhtiar Mohammad gave to me which was to not fall into the trap of worrying about making more money or becoming famous, but to simply work hard and concentrate on doing your best in cricket.
“Everything else will fall into place when you become a good cricketer. You get fame, friends and of course money as well. There is no shortcut to this and those who have tried that in the past have been found out and suffered shame as a consequence.”