Nikhil Chaudhary, Australia Cricket
Nikhil Chaudhary could be the first Indian-born man to play for Australia in 60 years, following his selection for the Australia’s T20I squad against Bangladesh.
The 30-year-old is set to join his teammates on Friday as they prepare for the series.
National Selector Tony Dodemaide says the panel are excited to welcome Chaudhary to the team.
“Nikhil will gain invaluable experience in Bangadesh and will be in contention to play his first game for Australia when we sit down to pick a team for the opening T20 fixture here next week,” he said.
They have followed Chaudhary’s game for some time, including his last three years as an allrounder with the Hobart Hurricanes.
“Nikhil has been a player of national interest for some time. He was a standby player for this tour, joining the squad at pre-season camps in Brisbane and comes in as a replacement for Travis Head,” Dodemaide said.
“The panel has been impressed by his BBL form, particularly last season, leading to his addition to the squad. He has also been part of the Delhi Capitals setup in this year’s IPL.”
Hailing from Delhi, Chaudhary’s career began alongside giants Shubham Gill and Harbhajan Singh with his Twenty20 debut for Punjab but he was unable to pass trials for IPL’s Mumbai Indians.
Getting stuck in Australia while visiting family during lockdown, Chaudhary found his feet again in Brisbane, pursuing cricket alongside odd jobs like being a courier with Australia Post.
The hard work paid off in 2023, when after success in Brisbane’s grade cricket scene, he made it onto the Hurricanes team. As a permanent resident of Australia, Chaudhary satisfies the ICC’s conditions to play for the country at the international level.
Chaudhary’s selection makes him the first Indian-born male player since the 1960s to play international cricket for Australia, when Rex Sellars, a Gujarat-born leg-spinner featured in the 1964 Calcutta Test. Nikhil Chaudhary, Australia Cricket
On the women’s side, Pune-born Lisa Sthalekar has been a noteworthy international player for Australia.
Australia’s T20I series, to be played in Chattogram, will begin next Wednesday with the second of three ODIs to be played today.
Read more: Vishwa Ramkumar: the Indian moving up in Australian cricket
