Anybody that has tried to balance their job with studies knows the difficulties involved. No surprise then that it was a long layoff from his work that helped Cape Cobras all-rounder Shaheen Khan make a considerable dent in his studies.

From a cricket perspective, Shaheen Khan had a tough 2015. The 28-year-old started it as an all-rounder in the Cape Cobras lineup, but ended it as a batsman only in the Western Province provincial side. A long-term injury saw to that…

“I injured my back in January and was out for almost 10 months. It was frustrating, but in the end it allowed me to bite off a lot of the studies. Focusing on my studies helped to take my mind off cricket and set a foundation for my future.”

After matriculating from Cravenby Secondary in 2005, Khan was actually a student while playing Cape club cricket before his ‘breakthrough’ season when he moved to play for Gauteng in 2012.

“I started studying before I was a semi-professional or had a contract with the Cobras. I always knew I needed something to fall back on so I could make a life for myself if cricket didn’t work out. So many players think of playing until they’re 35 but you have to ask yourself what you’ve done to make your 36th year successful…”

In order to do so, he started a Business Management degree through Unisa in 2009, but admits that it’s been challenge – not least as his cricket fortunes improved.

“I started it, then stopped in 2012 [a year when he also played club cricket in England for Cleator CC]. Since then it’s been difficult while I’ve been at the Cobras.”

Structure and logistics have often been the challenges.

“I realised that you have to do the bulk of year’s work in the first half of the year, because once the season starts it’s difficult to fit it in when there’s so much training, travelling and playing. There have been away trips where I’ve begged the captain to give me his single room so I can study, or tried to convince the management of a hotel to open the Wifi. However, the coaches at the Cobras have been very lenient and I’ve had other perks like avoiding bus trips and getting to fly instead when I’ve written an exam on the day that the guys travel.”

One of the benefits of SACA Player Plus Khan has made use of since signing for the Cape Cobras is applying for and receiving a bursary for his studies. Another is SACA sourcing and paying for a resource – in his case a tutor for Financial Accounting – to assist players with legitimate problematic modules. By and large, though, he’s more comfortable tackling his studying on his own.

“During my injury last year, I spent a lot of time at home in my room. Before my mid-year exams I spent nine days holed up in there studying and I got eight distinctions. It’s proof what I could achieve when I had that much time.”

That being said, when he wanted to play his part in his family business by adding a further string to his bow during his 2015 injury rehabilitation, SACA was his first point of contact.

“The story behind it is that I needed to up my computer literacy. I’d started up a construction business [named FIRZ Projects] with my father and brother but I only had the basic skills. While they are more hands-on my cricket meant I wasn’t; so I thought it would help I could I do some of the admin things that doesn’t require my active involvement. I approached my SACA Personal Development Manager [Brad Player] for guidance and we decided that I should apply for another Player Plus bursary for online courses from MasterGrade IT.”

As a result, Khan is registered for four Microsoft courses, namely Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Excel.

“You’re allowed to register for a year before you have to complete the courses, which entail watching videos and then writing tests. I started in late August-early September and have completed Outlook and Excel. I’m starting my third year Unisa subjects this year so before it gets going I want to complete the other two too.”

While his studies are on the right track, a return to full capacity is also in the offing for the rest of Khan’s season.

“I started bowling in the nets during December and didn’t have any reaction so I hope to be bowling in matches by the end of January. If I can contribute as a batsman and a bowler, it will hopefully help me get back into the Cobras team again.”

Perhaps it’s true when they say ‘healthy mind, healthy body’…