Members of the Rutgers Cricket Club and alumni offer a quick cricket lesson.
An Affinity for Challenge
With his email signature that boasts four titles, including Rutgers Cricket Club president, it’s easy to see how Hardik Jogani, a fourth-year mechanical and aerospace engineering major, is taking full advantage of student life at Rutgers–New Brunswick.
For Hardik, who commutes to campus from Edison, New Jersey, Rutgers was his top choice. “It is closer to home; it is affordable; I'm in the Honors Program, which allows me to interact with peers who have similar interests. Also, Rutgers has a cricket club, and many high school friends have decided to come here.”
Once here, Hardik found the engineering program demanding. “One of the greatest challenges is getting used to taking four to five classes that introduced different topics at a fast pace. I make sure I go to professors’ office hours and read the material before each lecture.”
A Man of Many Hats
In addition to being a student and managing the Rutgers Cricket Club, Hardik works at RU-info, a call center for university information.
“Juggling school, cricket, and work, I’ve learned to multitask and can handle pressure pretty well,” says Hardik, who spends about three to four hours a week managing the club of nearly 30 cricket enthusiasts.
This fall the Rutgers Cricket Club will defend its Northeast Regional Championship title. “Some of our best players are returning, and we have recruited nationally ranked players. We are definitely focusing on improving our fielding,” said Hardik, who admits that the inclement weather hasn’t made practicing easy.
The team practices at Johnson Park during the weekends and at indoor facilities in Hillsborough, budget permitting.
There are academic clubs, sports clubs, cultural clubs; there’s a lot to do. You’ll never feel bored at Rutgers and you’ll find a group where you can always fit in.
Hardik Jogani, School of Engineering
Beyond the Cricket Pitch
Nearing graduation, Hardik is still deciding on whether he will attend graduate school. In the meantime, he is preparing to enter the job market with just as much zeal as he approaches cricket. This summer he interned in the automotive engineering department at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in Jersey City, New Jersey. And, Hardik continues to develop his leadership skills through his on-campus job at RU-info, where during the past three years he has worked his way up from a student information assistant to call center supervisor and mentor team leader.
“Whatever you’re passionate about, you have to manage your time well and make some sacrifices,” says Hardik.
Cricket Fun Facts
- The “Spirit of Cricket” is an important aspect of the game and guides the rules of civility and sportsmanship among players.
- George Washington and his troops played a form of cricket at Valley Forge, and Abraham Lincoln used to watch local club games.
- With the diversity of immigrants to the United States, cricket is growing in popularity. More than a dozen parks in New Jersey and New York City have cricket fields.
- Depending on how the ball is hit and where it lands on the field, the two batsmen may or may not run the length of the 22-yard-long cricket pitch to earn runs.
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In cricket, a hit can earn a team four or six automatic runs if the ball passes the boundary on a bounce or on a fly, respectively. Scoring can go pretty high, up to hundreds of runs.
