---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've played cricket seriously since I was…"
description: "\"I've played cricket seriously since I was eight years old, when I first played for the Essex under-11s. I can't just turn it off.\" — Nasser Hussain"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/nasser-hussain-4875_cricket_i-ve-played-cricket-seriously-since-i-wa_1411385.png"
---

#  I've played cricket seriously since I was eight years old…

![“I've played cricket seriously since I was eight years old, when I first played for the Essex under-11s. I can't just turn it off.” quote by Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/nasser-hussain-4875_cricket_i-ve-played-cricket-seriously-since-i-wa_1411385.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/nasser-hussain-4875_cricket_i-ve-played-cricket-seriously-since-i-wa_1411385.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/nasser-hussain-4875_cricket_i-ve-played-cricket-seriously-since-i-wa_1411385.png)

> “I've played cricket seriously since I was eight years old, when I first played for the Essex under-11s. I can't just turn it off.”

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Early passion for a sport creates a lifelong identity that is hard to detach from.

**In simple terms:** Early love for cricket stays with you.

Key Takeaway

Channel passion into balanced pursuits.

Themes

sports identity passion career

Mood

reflective inspired

Type

personal career

When to use this quote

- coaching
- sports commentary
- youth sports programs
- career transition

Key Concepts

sports psychology lifelong learning balance personal branding

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance sport with other responsibilities?
- Can you find new outlets for your energy?

A Different Perspective

Passion can dominate to other life areas.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cricket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cricket/) [Cricket Seriously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cricket-seriously-1044004/) [Eight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eight/) [Essex 11S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essex-11s-4974698/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Old Played](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-played-2746563/) [Played Cricket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played-cricket-437213/) [Played Essex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played-essex-4974697/) [Seriously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seriously/) [Turn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn/)

## Related quotes

> [To people who don't take women's cricket seriously, I'd say: just watch a game first, and then make your judgement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-guha/to-people-who-don-t-take-women-s-cricket-seriously-i-d-say-just-watch/)

[Isa Guha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-guha/)

> [When I took up cricket seriously, I wanted to play for India. When my dream was achieved, I thought what next? Then a fellow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virender-sehwag/when-i-took-up-cricket-seriously-i-wanted-to-play-for-india-when-my/)

[Virender Sehwag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virender-sehwag/)

> [I remember I was like five or six years old; I played the devil. That was my first role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-julia/i-remember-i-was-like-five-or-six-years-old-i-played-the-devil-that/)

[Raul Julia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-julia/)

> [I played in a basketball league until I was 40 years old. I played every Monday night and the guys would say, "You take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/i-played-in-a-basketball-league-until-i-was-40-years-old-i-played/)

[Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/)

> [It suddenly occurred to me that every move on the chessboard is old and has been played by somebody at some time. Maybe our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/it-suddenly-occurred-to-me-that-every-move-on-the-chessboard-is-old/)

[Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/)

> [My very first system was the Sega Genesis back when I was 7 or 8 years old. I played that into the ground. Like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-very-first-system-was-the-sega-genesis-back-when-i-was-7-or-8/)

[Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/)

> [I started to like blues, I guess, when I was about 6 or 7 years old. There was something about it, because nobody else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/i-started-to-like-blues-i-guess-when-i-was-about-6-or-7-years-old/)

[B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/)

> [I didn't really get any success till I was 30 years old. I played music when I was young fella, but I didn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/i-didn-t-really-get-any-success-till-i-was-30-years-old-i-played/)

[J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/)

> [My dad's the type of guy when I was 5 years old, we played checkers and he would not let me win. That's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/my-dad-s-the-type-of-guy-when-i-was-5-years-old-we-played-checkers/)

[Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/)

> [The thing that forced me to think about my retirement was that I had played my cricket with honour and distinction, and I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/the-thing-that-forced-me-to-think-about-my-retirement-was-that-i-had/)

[Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/)

> [I played cricket for the Delhi under-15 and 19 team. I was inspired by Imran Khan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-dev/i-played-cricket-for-the-delhi-under-15-and-19-team-i-was-inspired-by/)

[Rahul Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-dev/)

> [I am very insecure because that's how I have played cricket. Since Under-14, I was told, 'If you don't perform, you will be dropped.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautam-gambhir/i-am-very-insecure-because-that-s-how-i-have-played-cricket-since/)

[Gautam Gambhir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautam-gambhir/)

> [I was a sportsman and played cricket all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saqib-saleem/i-was-a-sportsman-and-played-cricket-all-my-life/)

[Saqib Saleem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saqib-saleem/)

> [“We all played cricket on the street or rooftops together, but I knew as we got older the girls would be expected to stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/we-all-played-cricket-on-the-street-or-rooftops-together-but-i-knew/)

[Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/)

> [When I studied in DPS Mathura Road in Delhi, there was a school for blind exactly opposite to our school. I used to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shriya-saran/when-i-studied-in-dps-mathura-road-in-delhi-there-was-a-school-for/)

[Shriya Saran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shriya-saran/)

## More by Nasser Hussain

> [One-day cricket is about continuity, team ethic, understanding each other's role, where everybody fields and bats, when and at which end they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/one-day-cricket-is-about-continuity-team-ethic-understanding-each/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [There are lots of places I would love to go to in Europe and North America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/there-are-lots-of-places-i-would-love-to-go-to-in-europe-and-north/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [More than playing, my greatest moments and love of the game come from captaining England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/more-than-playing-my-greatest-moments-and-love-of-the-game-come-from/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [I'm never going to have a Test average of 50 like Tendulkar. All I want to be is the best that I can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/i-m-never-going-to-have-a-test-average-of-50-like-tendulkar-all-i/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [Bowling was my natural skill. I didn't know how I was doing it, but I was spinning it miles and bamboozling people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/bowling-was-my-natural-skill-i-didn-t-know-how-i-was-doing-it-but-i/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [They (Leeds United) used to be a bit like Arsenal, winning by one goal to nil or even less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/they-leeds-united-used-to-be-a-bit-like-arsenal-winning-by-one-goal/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [I have applied to go to either Durham or Loughborough University to study Applied Physics and would like to get some qualification behind me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/i-have-applied-to-go-to-either-durham-or-loughborough-university-to/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [There have been a few times in my career when I have been close to tears after completing an innings, but rarely when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/there-have-been-a-few-times-in-my-career-when-i-have-been-close-to/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [Normally I don't sleep much during a Test match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/normally-i-don-t-sleep-much-during-a-test-match/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [I admired Stephen Fleming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/i-admired-stephen-fleming/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [My relationship with my dad is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/my-relationship-with-my-dad-is-everything/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [You are only given so much talent and it is up to you what you do with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/you-are-only-given-so-much-talent-and-it-is-up-to-you-what-you-do/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [I played my first ever Test in Kingston in 1990. I'd just graduated from Durham University and there I was, at Sabina Park, playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/i-played-my-first-ever-test-in-kingston-in-1990-i-d-just-graduated/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [When you are no longer England captain, you suddenly realise it's over, you are no longer England captain, and you appreciate what you had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/when-you-are-no-longer-england-captain-you-suddenly-realise-it-s-over/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

> [When I first came into the England one-day side and joined the selectors, I wanted to move away from picking what some people called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/when-i-first-came-into-the-england-one-day-side-and-joined-the/)

[Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

[Explore all 105 Nasser Hussain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/)

## More Cricket quotes

> [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/)

[Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/)

> [In summer, my Sundays are often taken up with cricket. I play with a bunch of other over-competitive and overenthusiastic guys who I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elliot/in-summer-my-sundays-are-often-taken-up-with-cricket-i-play-with-a/)

[Ben Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elliot/)

> [The way you get wickets is, you've got to build pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-arthur/the-way-you-get-wickets-is-you-ve-got-to-build-pressure/)

[Mickey Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-arthur/)

> [Runs are important, don't get me wrong, but it will be wickets that I will be judged on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moeen-ali/runs-are-important-don-t-get-me-wrong-but-it-will-be-wickets-that-i/)

[Moeen Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moeen-ali/)

> [Cricket, politics, and cinema is what a majority in our country are most passionate about. They have the power to divide the best of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-deverakonda/cricket-politics-and-cinema-is-what-a-majority-in-our-country-are/)

[Vijay Deverakonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-deverakonda/)

> [I used to stay near Hazra Law College and play a lot of street cricket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanshu-chatterjee/i-used-to-stay-near-hazra-law-college-and-play-a-lot-of-street-cricket/)

[Priyanshu Chatterjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanshu-chatterjee/)

> [Being at the top of the ICC rankings is a matter of great pride for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasprit-bumrah/being-at-the-top-of-the-icc-rankings-is-a-matter-of-great-pride-for-me/)

[Jasprit Bumrah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasprit-bumrah/)

> [If you want to to be a smart cricketer, you have to play according to the situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardik-pandya/if-you-want-to-to-be-a-smart-cricketer-you-have-to-play-according-to/)

[Hardik Pandya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardik-pandya/)

> [There is no reason why one should believe you should leave out politicians in cricket or any sport for that matter. There are ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roosevelt-skerrit/there-is-no-reason-why-one-should-believe-you-should-leave-out/)

[Roosevelt Skerrit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roosevelt-skerrit/)

> [The Twenty20 is itself a banal game, a crude game, but it works, so I hope Twenty20 commentary works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-agnew/the-twenty20-is-itself-a-banal-game-a-crude-game-but-it-works-so-i/)

[Jonathan Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-agnew/)

> [I began playing at the age of six, but at that point, I had little idea of cricket; forget the talent part. It's around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prithvi-shaw/i-began-playing-at-the-age-of-six-but-at-that-point-i-had-little-idea/)

[Prithvi Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prithvi-shaw/)

> [We West Indian cricketers are always proud to play for the West Indies and we know we are made up of different islands and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lara/we-west-indian-cricketers-are-always-proud-to-play-for-the-west/)

[Brian Lara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lara/)

> [We are a country obsessed by records. For us, hundreds, ten thousand runs, and large haul of wickets are more important than the performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shastri/we-are-a-country-obsessed-by-records-for-us-hundreds-ten-thousand/)

[Ravi Shastri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shastri/)

> [You always can improve and I think that's the beauty of international cricket, particularly test cricket, is playing all around the world against different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane-williamson/you-always-can-improve-and-i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-international/)

[Kane Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane-williamson/)

> [“The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last for ever. Even on the most beautiful days in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-crickets-felt-it-was-their-duty-to-warn-everybody-that-summertime/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 3,044 Cricket quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cricket/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I've played cricket seriously since I was eight years old, when I first played for the Essex under-11s. I can't just turn it off.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Nasser Hussain"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/i-ve-played-cricket-seriously-since-i-was-eight-years-old-when-i/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cricket"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/i-ve-played-cricket-seriously-since-i-was-eight-years-old-when-i/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/nasser-hussain-4875_cricket_i-ve-played-cricket-seriously-since-i-wa_1411385.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/nasser-hussain-4875_cricket_i-ve-played-cricket-seriously-since-i-wa_1411385.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/nasser-hussain-4875_cricket_i-ve-played-cricket-seriously-since-i-wa_1411385.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I've played cricket seriously since I was eight years old, when I first played for the Essex under-11s. I…” — Nasser Hussain",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Nasser Hussain",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I've played cricket seriously since I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/i-ve-played-cricket-seriously-since-i-was-eight-years-old-when-i/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/i-ve-played-cricket-seriously-since-i-was-eight-years-old-when-i/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
