The rising influence of sub-continent cricketers in New Zealand and Australia

[FearlessRoar]

The emergence of stars like Rachin Ravindra in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 for New Zealand, hailing from Indian origin, signals a growing trend. This trend persists in the current ICC U19 World Cup 2024, where Snehith Reddy, another Indian-origin talent, is making waves, recently scoring a century in the tournament.

Notable Indian-origin players who have represented or currently represent New Zealand include Dipak Patel, Jeetan Patel, Ish Sodhi, and Ajaz Patel.

Shifting focus to Australia, the Pakistani-origin player Usman Khawaja witnessed a career boom, and now, Indian-origin players are making strides in the ongoing ICC U19 World Cup 2024. Harjas Singh, a left-handed batter, is capturing attention.

In the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, the Australian squad featured Tanveer Sangha, an Indian-origin leg-spinner. Arjun Nair, an Indian-origin mystery spinner representing New South Wales, adds to the diversity. Jason Sangha, born on September 8, 1999, in New South Wales, led the Australian team in the 2018 ICC U19 World Cup, emerging as the leading run-scorer with 229 runs. Gurinder Sandhu, the first male cricketer of Indian ancestry to represent Australia, was born on June 14, 1993, in Blacktown, New South Wales. His parents, originally from Faridkot district, Punjab, migrated to Australia.

Nikhil Chaudhary, an Indian-born cricketer and an aspirant to represent Australia, currently plays for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League.

The cricketing landscape is evolving, and the increasing presence of subcontinent players in New Zealand and Australia. Is this due to a lack of opportunities in the subcontinent or a high rate of migration to New Zealand and Australia?

 

[PakEngFan]

They are all rubbish bar Ravindra.

 

[Asad T]

A lot of Indian immigration to Aus / NZ is the reason. I think in the past, immigrants from South Asia would soley focus on studies, now the mindset is different and people see sport as a way to make it in the new country.
It's good to see, especially in Australia, where society can be quite racist for a brown player to make it big.

 

[Slim]

You will see this a lot. Indians are the biggest population on earth. You will literally find them in any random corner of the world.

 

[FearlessRoar]

The population of India and Pakistan is a significant concern when people from these countries struggle to find their dream opportunities domestically, leading them to explore opportunities around the world. In recent years, we have witnessed the dominance of individuals of Indian origin, especially in various fields beyond cricket, on a global scale.

And that day is not very far when Subcontinent players will have special quotas in the New Zealand and Australia cricket teams.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Only in New Zealand have they made it to international cricket.

The Aussies haven't had any. They have a lot of talent and it's probably hard to break through unlike in NZ.

 

[greatest]

These subcontinent players haven't achieved much with either Australia or New Zealand. Maybe they are not natural athletes.

 

[Slim]

The population of India and Pakistan is a significant concern when people from these countries struggle to find their dream opportunities domestically, leading them to explore opportunities around the world. In recent years, we have witnessed the dominance of individuals of Indian origin, especially in various fields beyond cricket, on a global scale.

And that day is not very far when Subcontinent players will have special quotas in the New Zealand and Australia cricket teams.

I hope that day never comes and both countries have population control mechanisms in place.

 

[sweep_shot]

I expect England, Australia, and New Zealand teams to be eventually filled up with brown and black players (Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan etc.).

Cricket's popularity seems to be declining among white population in SENA countries.

 

[Asad T]

These subcontinent players haven't achieved much with either Australia or New Zealand. Maybe they are not natural athletes.

Uzzy is quite good and Rachin has the ingredients to become a NZ great. Still early days, but I think it's only a matter of time before a brown guy becomes a GOAT for either Aus or NZ.

 

[greatest]

I expect England, Australia, and New Zealand teams to be eventually filled up with brown and black players (Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan etc.).

Cricket's popularity seems to be declining among white population in SENA countries.

Very true!
Even Western associate teams have majority brown and a few black players. I think very soon cricket name would be changed to a Hindi word, maybe Gilli Danda.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Many Sub-continent guys are moving abroad because of the financial situation, particularly in Pakistan. Justice seems to be invisible here for the players who are performing and grinding hard in the domestics but are still ignored because they don't have "parchi". That might be the reason for this rise of sub-continent players in SENA countries.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Uzzy is quite good and Rachin has the ingredients to become a NZ great. Still early days, but I think it's only a matter of time before a brown guy becomes a GOAT for either Aus or NZ.

I think Rachin could be that guy.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Glad for Usman Khawaja's achievement today. He could be an australian atg

 

[kron]

Nz yea.
SA sort of have one or 2.
Eng have a few

Aus have a few Indians always in 19 but none made it big.

Our uzzy did though and he is a class player

 

[FearlessRoar]

Nz yea.
SA sort of have one or 2.
Eng have a few

Aus have a few Indians always in 19 but none made it big.

Our uzzy did though and he is a class player

Today, Harjas Singh's fifty, scoring 55 (64), was instrumental in Australia's U19 victory against India U19 in the ICC U19 World Cup 2024 final.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Harjas Singh was the lynchpin of Australia's batting, scoring 55 (64) to help his team beat India in the final of the ICC U19 World Cup 2024, while an interview with an Indian media outlet, he told:

"I still have family back in Chandigarh and Amritsar. We have a house in Sector 44-D, but the last time I was there was 2015. Thereafter, cricket took over and I never got the opportunity. My uncle still lives there."

"My parents sacrificed all their free time to ensure I got proper training. They work in the transport industry. They spent hours and a lot of their savings to help shape my career."

"As a young kid batting right-handed in the backyard, I was in danger of breaking the glass windows close by on the leg-side. So, I started batting left-handed to avoid that potential crisis. And I've stuck to it! I bowl right-arm medium pacers though, and throw right-handed."

"If you look different from others, you have to do something different and much more to maintain that identity and your place in the field."

 

[greatest]

I think except the Sub-continent teams all other Test teams have at least one Sub-continent origin player. Maybe cricket is now not popular in Australia, New Zealand and S.Africa as it used to be 20 years back. These teams would surely feature more Asians in the next 10 years or so.

 

[pakistani pride]

But most of these guys are born there, right?

 

[hassan918]

It is not just limited to New Zealand and Australia but in many countries all around the World.