In Indian cricket, there are thousands of players who aspire to don the blue jersey. In the world of civil services, lakhs of students study for years to clear the UPSC exam. Both are regarded as extremely challenging paths, but one man succeeded at both. Introducing Amay Khurasiya, the sole international cricketer to also clear the UPSC exam. Who is Amay Khurasiya? Amay Khurasiya was born on May 18, 1972, in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Amay was famous for his flamboyant left-handed batting. He made his first-class debut at the age of 17 and quickly emerged as one of Madhya Pradesh's top run-getters in domestic cricket. But unlike other cricketers, his mind was not solely on cricket. Parallel to his cricketing career, Khurasiya studied diligently and prepared for the Union Public Civil Services (UPSC) Examination and cleared it even before his India debut. A Dream Debut for India Image Source: Sebastian D'Souza/AFP Amay Khurasiya got his international break during the 1999 Pepsi Cup against Sri Lanka. Sharing the same flag as Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and Rahul Dravid, Khurasiya announced himself. On debut, he scored a quick 57 off 45 deliveries, afraid of no quality bowlers. His elegant stroke play against pace and spin was admired, and he was drafted into India's 1999 World Cup team in England. Sadly, Khurasiya never played at the World Cup. Subsequently, he appeared in a few ODIs, such as the Aiwa Cup and Coca-Cola Challenger Series. Runs dried up, however, and for all his impressive record in domestic cricket, he could not find a place in the Indian side. From 1999 to 2001, he played 12 ODIs and scored 149 runs, and his debut half-century remained his top score. However, his courageous debut innings kept his name in mind among cricket spectators of his time. Also Read | Top Incidents When Players Refused Handshakes in Cricket Domestic Giant and Early Retirement Source: ESPNcricinfo Ltd (Amay Khurasia being interviewed by Maninder Singh) Whereas Khurasiya's Indian career was brief, his domestic career was exemplary. He represented India in 119 first-class games, managing 7304 runs at a rate higher than 40, with 21 tons and 31 fifties. In 112 List A matches, he scored 3768 runs, four of which were centuries. He was last representing India in 2001, once again against Sri Lanka, before being permanently dropped. By 2007, Khurasiya quit all types of cricket. It was expected that he would quietly slip out of the game, but he had already found a fall-back option, one very few cricketers in the globe could even hope for. Cricketer and Civil Servant Image Source: Getty Images Amay Khurasiya is the sole Indian cricketer to have cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination prior to his India debut. He was appointed in the Indian Customs & Central Excise Department as an Inspector, balancing public service with his love of cricket. His double feat is uncommon since the majority of cricketers give all their concentration to the game. To Khurasiya, however, cricket was a dream but not the sole one. Choosing to dual both careers proved to be his choice based on his faith in responsibility outside the field of cricket. He is today remembered as much of a player as he is remembered as an officer who demonstrated that it is possible to serve the country in more than one way. Also Read | IND vs PAK: Who Won First Match After Every War and Terror Attack Back to Cricket as a Mentor Even post-retirement, Khurasiya never gave the game his back. He has guided many young players, including Rajat Patidar, who took Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their first-ever IPL title in 2025, and pacer Avesh Khan, currently a part of India's T20 team. In 2024, he became Kerala's Ranji Trophy team head coach. Kerala under his guidance made it to the first-ever Ranji Trophy final, a first in their history that earned him accolades from the cricketing community. Khurasiya's acting as a mentor is a reflection of his devotion to contributing to the game. Sharing his experience with budding cricketers, he continues to influence Indian cricket behind the scenes. Timeline: The Journey of Amay Khurasiya 1989: First-class debut for Madhya Pradesh at the age of 17. 1999 (March): ODI debut against Sri Lanka in Pepsi Cup, scored 57 from 45 balls. 1999 (May-June): Drafted in India's World Cup team in England. 2001 (July): Played last ODI of his career for India against Sri Lanka. 2006: Retired from domestic cricket with 7304 First-Class runs ahead of his name. 2007: Officially retired from professional cricket. Post-2007: Appointed as an Inspector in Indian Customs & Central Excise after clearing UPSC. 2010s-2020s: Started coaching young cricketers in Madhya Pradesh. 2024: Handpicked as head coach of Kerala Ranji team, led them to their first-ever final. 2025: Coached Rajat Patidar (RCB captain) and Avesh Khan (India pacer). A Story That Inspires Amay Khurasiya's story is a perfect example that cricket and duty can live together harmoniously. Though his international stint was brief, his tale holds significance much greater than statistics. A cricketer who made his debut with a blazing fifty against Sri Lanka, a domestic giant with more than 7000 first-class runs, and an officer who cleared UPSC exam before he wore the India cap, his tale remains exceptional in Indian sporting history. For young Indians pursuing huge ambitions, Amay Khurasiya's journey comes with a perfect message, success does not always have to take one shape, whether it is scoring runs on the field or serving the nation in public service.