Throughout the years, numerous cricketers of Indian descent have showcased their talents while representing other countries.
Throughout the years, numerous cricketers of Indian descent have showcased their talents while representing other countries, making significant contributions to their respective teams. This phenomenon can be attributed to various factors, including personal motivations or family relocations.
The 2023 ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup 2024 provided a platform for cricketers with Indian roots to compete against Team India. While some of these players posed a challenge to India's unbeaten streak, their presence was undeniably added an intriguing and captivating element to the competition.
In this article, we will delve into the profiles of some Indian-origin cricketers who proudly represent nations other than India.
1. Ish Sodhi, New Zealand
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The talented New Zealand spinner was born in Ludhiana, Punjab, before relocating to Auckland, New Zealand with his family at the age of four. Sodhi has showcased his skills in 20 Test matches, where he has taken an impressive 57 wickets, as well as in 51 ODIs, where he has claimed 63 wickets.
2. Dilpreet Bajwa, Canada
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Dilpreet Bajwa, the rising star of the 2024 T20 World Cup for Canada, was born in the city of Gurdaspur, Punjab, India. In 2020, his family made the difficult decision to leave their homeland after Dilpreet was unable to secure a spot on the state team.
3. Ajaz Patel, New Zealand
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Ajaz was born in India but achieved international recognition as a player for New Zealand. The left-arm spinner rose to prominence when he became only the third player in cricket history to take 10 wickets in a single innings. His accomplishment against India, in Mumbai where he was born, added a special significance to his achievement.
4. Keshav Maharaj, South Africa
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Maharaj is currently South Africa's leading red ball spinner and ranks second among South African test spinners with the most wickets. He has also recently led the Proteas in white-ball cricket. Despite being born in Durban, Keshav has ancestral ties to India. His father, Athmanand, is an Indian-born South African who initially played for Natal and aspired to represent South Africa, but was unable to do so due to the Apartheid regime.
5. Alpesh Ramjani, Uganda
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Alpesh Ramjani was a member of Uganda's T20 World Cup 2024 squad. Originally from Mumbai, he relocated to the African nation after losing his job during the COVID-19 pandemic.
6. Rachin Ravindra, New Zealand
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Rachin Ravindra was born in Wellington on November 18, 1999. His father, Ravi Krishnamurthy, originally from Bengaluru, was a software architect who relocated to New Zealand in 1997.
From a young age, cricket was ingrained in Rachin Ravindra's family. His father, a passionate cricket enthusiast, maintained his love for the sport by playing at the club level even after moving to New Zealand.
7. Monak Patel, USA
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Monak Patel served as the captain of the United States of America (USA) team during the 2024 T20 World Cup. Hailing from the Indian city of Anand in Gujarat, Patel honed his cricket skills while playing for his state in age group competitions. In 2010, he made the decision to relocate to the USA, where he eventually obtained his green card.
8. Saurabh Netravalkar, USA
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Saurabh Netravalkar, a former member of India's 2010 U-19 World Cup team alongside KL Rahul, later went on to represent the USA in the 2024 World Cup. Initially relocating to America to pursue a career as a software engineer, Netravalkar attended Cornell University and now holds a position at Oracle.
