Playing cricket was Nasser Hussain’s only option once the former England skipper realised he wasn’t ”bright enough” to become a doctor.
Born in the city formerly known as Madras, Hussain's journey from Chennai to Chelmsford ultimately saw him follow in the footsteps of one of his idols Graham Gooch by captaining Essex and England.
"My dad either wanted me to become a doctor or a cricketer," Hussain says in episode six of Sky Sports' My Icon series.
"I wasn't bright enough to become a doctor, so I took up cricket. It was just in the blood really. I had no choice, it was just what we did and I enjoyed every single moment of it."
Hussain appeared to make a seamless transition into the commentary box after retiring from cricket but he remembers what it felt like lining up as a pundit alongside David Gower for the very first time.
He said: "My childhood hero - and I work with him now - was David Gower. Don't tell anyone but I used to have pictures of him on my bedroom wall at university!
"If anything [during the transition into broadcasting] I was a little concerned that here I was sitting with all the greats of the game in the studio.
"At first I had to pinch myself that David Gower was asking me questions, or that I was doing a third man on bowling when Michael Holding and Ian Botham are sat in the chair next to me. But as long as you realise you're trying to add value to the coverage, that you are trying to inform people at home, it's seriously the best job in the world."
Hussain talks about his journey in the latest instalment of My Icon, which premieres on Friday at 7am on Sky Sports Mix and is available On Demand. The episode is repeated on Friday at 1pm, 6.15pm, 10pm.
Coinciding with Black History Month, Sky Sports' #MyIcon campaign brings you 31 exclusive interviews with top BAME sports personalities across the month of October. For more information click here.