Let’s take a look at some of these players whose journies reflect a blend of talent, privilege, and the weight of expectations.

1. Tejashwi Yadav

The son of former Railway minister and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi was picked up by Delhi Daredevils in 2008. He remained in the reserve bench for four seasons, but never made it to the Playing XI.

2. Aryaman Birla

Aryaman is the son of the chairman of the Aditya Birla Group and billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla. He was purchased by Rajasthan Royal in the 2018 auction for 30 lakh rupees. He failed to make any appearance in the playing squad and took an indefinite break from cricket in 2020 owing to mental health issues. He now serves as a director on the boards of Grasim Industries, and Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd.

3. Anirudha Srikkanth

If you have been a viewer of IPL since the earlier seasons, the name Anirudha Srikkanth might ring a bell. Anirudh has played nearly 20 games for Chennai Super Kings and SRH over the years. He is the son of veteran Indian batsman Krish Srikkanth.

4. Jaydev Shah

The son of former BCCI secretary and veteran cricket administrator Niranjan Shah, Jaydev had been a long-serving captain of the Saurashtra Ranji team. And despite being part of every IPL season since it began in 2008 representing four different franchises – Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians, and Deccan Chargers, Gujarat Lions, he never played a single game.

5. Stuart Binny

Son of former Indian cricketer, national selector, and current BCCI president Roger Binny, Stuart showed huge promise at the beginning of his career. He was a regular in the Rajasthan Royal and RCB squad. He also featured in some matches for the national team during this period.

6. Arjun Tendulkar

Well, being the son of the ‘God of Cricket’ is not easy. Arjun has been part of Mumbai Indians, which his father had been a part of, since 2021. He also played 4 matches in the 2023 edition, claiming 3 wickets.

7. Shaun and Mitchell Marsh

The Marsh brothers have been active parts of the Australian national squad. Shaun was even the highest run scorer of the inaugural season of IPL with KXIP and Mitchell has played for 4 franchises, most recently for Delhi Capitals. They are the sons of Geoff Marsh, a part of the World Cup-winning Australian side in 1987 and a former coach and selector.

8. Yuvraj Singh

Yuvi is the son of a former Indian cricketer and veteran actor Yograj Singh, who has featured in movies like Singh is Bling and Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui . Yuvraj has been with 6 franchises, winning the tournament with SRH.

9. Muttiah Muralitharan

The highest wicket-taker in Test cricket was a member of the title-winning CSK squad in 2010 and had a stint at RCB and Kochi Tuskers. His father is a managing partner in Luckyland Biscuit Manufacturers, which is one of the largest biscuit manufacturers in Sri Lanka.

10. Sourav Ganguly

The ‘Prince of Calcutta’ was the icon player and captain for KKR and also played some games for Pune Warriors India as well. His father was Chandidas Ganguly, who ran a flourishing printing business and was one of the richest businessmen in Kolkata. He was also a former joint secretary and chairman of the Trustee Board of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).

While some of these talents have reached the pinnacle of the game and won the highest of the honors, some did not manage to live up to the expectations and fulfill their potential. Of course, these players had certain advantages over others to get their opportunities in the game, but your family name would take you so far. In the long run, only one’s ambition, years of hard work, and perseverance take one over the finishing line.