In India, cricket is more than just a game; it is considered a religion. From Galli to Delhi, cricket is celebrated like a festival, bringing people together in a collective celebration. The emotional atmosphere is palpable, as the whole country transforms into a cricket stadium. With India hosting the current Cricket World Cup, this mood is even more evident all across the nation.During this cricket festival, not only the stadiums are filled with passionate fans, but also any two people who meet are engaged in discussions and analysis about the matches. An interesting aspect of it is that several cricketers of Indian origin are representing the teams of other countries in the World Cup this time. Let’s discover players of Indian origin representing other teams in this story.
Rachin Ravindra
Cricketer Rachin Ravindra grabbed everyone’s attention during the first match of the World Cup. The Kiwi player achieved a brilliant century in the match between England and New Zealand at Ahmedabad. The 23-year-old, participating in the World Cup for the first time, played a crucial role in the team’s victory by scoring 123 runs off just 96 balls, including 5 sixes and 11 fours, surprising even the critics.
Rachin Ravindra is a young man of Indian descent, born in Wellington, New Zealand. His father Krishnamurthy, a software architect originally from Bengaluru, Karnataka, used to play cricket at a club level. In the 1990s, Krishnamurthy’s family settled in New Zealand. Rachin is a great admirer of cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, so he was named ‘Rachin’ after the first letters of their names. It is impressive to see Rachin living up to his name by excelling in cricket. Rachin not only has some association with Karnataka but also with Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh. He received cricket training for a few years at the Rural Development Trust in Anantapur. It is said that Rachin played cricket in Anantapur with players from Hot Hawks, a cricket club run by his father in New Zealand.
Teja Nidamanuru
Teja Nidamanuru is one of the members of the Netherlands cricket team currently competing in the Cricket World Cup. Teja was born and raised in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. While his mother, Padmavati, pursued higher studies in Singapore, Teja grew up in his grandfather’s house. During this time, he honed his cricket skills in Vijayawada. Years later, when his mother moved to New Zealand for work, Teja also relocated to the same country. Fortunately, there was a Cornwall Cricket Club near Padmavathi’s office, where Teja was able to further develop his cricket abilities. Over time, he became a strong batsman and started playing numerous first-class matches for Auckland at the start of his career. Despite striving to secure a spot in the New Zealand national cricket team, Teja faced disappointment due to the intense competition within the team. Consequently, in 2019, he made the decision to shift to the Netherlands.
On the 6th of this month, a match between the teams of Pakistan and Netherlands took place at Uppal Stadium in Hyderabad. Teja’s relatives from Vijayawada came to the stadium to witness him play in that match. With placards in hand, they displayed their support for the Netherlands team.
Vikramjith Singh
Another player who is currently playing for the Netherlands team in the World Cup 2023 is Vikramjit Singh, who is 20 years old. Born in Cheema Khurd, Punjab, Vikramjit Singh’s family relocated to the Netherlands when he was just 5 years of age. He learned his first lessons in cricket from his father Harpreet Singh. The 2011 World Cup victory by the Indian team left a lasting impression on Vikramjit. Witnessing the passion and emotions of cricket fans changed his perspective on the sport. Representing the Netherlands in cricket while in India feels like a dream come true for him. So far, Vikramjith has scored 808 runs in 26 one-day matches for the Netherlands, which includes 1 century and 4 half-centuries.
Aryan Dutt
Aryan Dutt (20) is a player of Indian descent who is representing the Netherlands team in the 2023 World Cup. Aryan’s family hails from Hoshiarpur, Punjab. He is known for his skills as an off-spinner in international cricket, having played 26 ODI matches and taken 21 wickets. Aryan developed an interest in cricket after the Indian team’s victory in the 2011 World Cup, despite having played football extensively during his childhood. Aryan Dutt recently expressed his joy in playing the World Cup in India, with his family from the Netherlands also traveling to India to watch his matches.
Ish Sodhi
Ish Sodhi, a player of Indian origin, is currently representing New Zealand in the ongoing World Cup. Born in Ludhiana, Punjab, Sodhi moved to New Zealand with his family when he was just four years old. He started on his cricketing journey during the 2012-13 Plunket Shield Season in New Zealand. In 2013, Sodhi made his debut for the New Zealand national team in international cricket. To date, he has played 49 ODIs and has taken 61 wickets. After being excluded from the New Zealand team for a few years, Sodhi has now made a comeback in 2022.
Keshav Maharaj
Keshav Maharaj is a cricketer of Indian origin who plays for South Africa in the latest World Cup. He hails from Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Keshav made his ODI debut for South Africa in a match against England in 2017, not New Zealand. As a left-arm spinner, Keshav Maharaj has played 31 matches for South Africa, taking 37 wickets. His wife, Lerisha, also has Indian descent, and she is renowned as a Kathak dancer.
