Who is Nikhil Chaudhary? Delhi-born all-rounder on brink of ground-breaking Australia debut

Delhi-born Nikhil Chaudhary could become the first Indian-born man to play for Australia in more than 60 years after the all-rounder was called up for the T20I squad for the series against Bangladesh. Nikhil Chaudhary replaces Travis Head in the squad as the opener has been granted "personal leave".

"The panel has been impressed by Chaudary's BBL form, particularly last season, leading to his addition to the squad," Australian selector Tony Dodemaide said.

"Nikhil will gain invaluable experience in Bangladesh 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."

Who is Nikhil Chaudhary?

Although he is yet to obtain Australian citizenship, Chaudhary holds permanent residency and meets the International Cricket Council's requirements to represent Australia internationally.

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Raised in Delhi, the all-rounder featured in 14 white-ball matches for Punjab, sharing the dressing room with players such as Harbhajan Singh, Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma. He also had a trial stint with IPL franchise Mumbai Indians.

Chaudhary's move to Australia came unexpectedly. While visiting his uncle in Queensland, the COVID-19 pandemic brought international travel to a standstill, prompting him to pursue his cricketing ambitions Down Under.

The road was far from straightforward. He worked several jobs to support himself, including shifts at a Mexican restaurant and later as a postal delivery worker, before earning an opportunity with the Hobart Hurricanes. His breakthrough came after a recommendation from former Australia all-rounder James Hopes, who coached him at the grade-cricket level.

Nikhil Chaudhary's impressive record in Australia

After playing a role in Hobart's BBL title-winning campaign, Chaudhary enjoyed his most productive season with the bat last summer, scoring 307 runs at an average of 30.70 and a strike rate of 153. His bowling opportunities, however, were limited following the Hurricanes' recruitment of wrist-spinners Rehan Ahmed and Rishad Hossain.

The Delhi-born cricketer also secured his first Tasmania state contract after an impressive debut Sheffield Shield season. His standout performances included a five-wicket haul against Queensland and a century versus New South Wales.

Interestingly, despite growing up on spin-friendly pitches in India, Chaudhary has excelled more against fast bowling in Australia. During the most recent BBL season, he struck at 180 against pace, a significant improvement on his overall career BBL strike rate against seamers, while his strike rate against spin remains considerably lower.