Twelve-year-old Tyler Ramroop is aiming to become the next cricket star, breaking world records. He hopes to shatter the ones held by Brian Lara.

Ramroop, the first placed male student in this year’s Secondary Entrance Examination (SEA), is now a student of Hillview College.

He told Newsday Kids that ever since he could remember cricket has been his passion.

Ramroop attended El Dorado North Hindu Primary School and has competed in several cricket tournaments. He also trains with Queen’s Park Cricket Club and Kumar Rampat Cricket Academy (KRCA).

[caption id="attachment_915227" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Tyler Ramroop reads The Meaning of Cricket. The 12-year-old hopes to play in all forms the sport. - Photo by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]

“I had the passion for it (cricket) since I was a baby. I remember Aji (grandmother) used to bowl me in the house. I just continued on with it and found a passion for it. Luckily, while playing in the house I did not break anything,” he said, chuckling, at home in El Dorado.

Ramroop said he has a strict routine in which he balanced school and cricket practice but would now have to make changes because the workload of secondary school would be more demanding.

“I see school like going to a job, where you have to show up and to do the work to see the benefits, you must take it seriously.

“After this is completed then I would get set for cricket practice. It is basically about management and focus, giving each the priority it deserves and just doing the best I can.

“I train on Saturdays and Sundays because of the covid19 pandemic but before that I trained for about three or four days a week,” he said.

The restrictions, Ramroop explained, were used to his advantage because gatherings were limited and cricket practice was closed off.

“It happened in such a way that the lockdown was just before the SEA exam so we were not able to go out and practice. I used the extra time to study,” he said.

[caption id="attachment_915223" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Dhano Ramroop bowls to her grandson Tyler as his father Vido mans the wicket at their home in El Dorado. - Photo by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]

Preparation for the exam was not difficult, Ramroop said, because of the support of his family and his diligence to invest the time and effort when and where necessary.

“The preparation for SEA included a lot more responsibilities on the students because we were at home rather than in school where the teacher can help us along more intimately.

“When we were at home, we had to ensure we were at the computer and participate because the teacher would not know that we were there.

“I found online learning was different but not that challenging because I was accustomed to paying attention in school, so I was able to get all my work done."

Ramroop said while he understood the importance of academics, not much thought has been placed on a field of study.

“I like mathematics and I do not know what I would pursue as a degree but I do know it is wise to get a good educatio