It was just a few weeks ago when Mumbai-born Ajaz Patel became a part of cricket history taking 10 wickets in an innings for New Zealand. Ajaz's success is not a case in isolation. In countries like Australia, England and New Zealand, cricketers from Indian diaspora are making a serious mark.
Chennai boy Nivethan Radhakrishnan - an ambidextrous allrounder - is the new kid on the block. The 19-year-old, who had earlier played in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, has been selected to play for the Australian team for the U-19 World Cup in West Indies next month. He started off as a pacer but now bowls off-spin with his right-hand while the one leaving the right-hander after pitching is his stock-ball with the left-hand.
"Representing Australia in a World Cup is the biggest achievement yet in my career. I will try and win the trophy by contributing equally with bat and ball," the 19-year-old told TOI from Sydney.
Ever since his family shifted base from Chennai to Sydney in 2013, Nivethan's skills have improved and the steady performances in age-group cricket have kept him in the Australian junior selectors' radar. While Nivethan is an ambidextrous bowler, he bats left-handed - as if to justify the old saying - grabbing opportunities with both hands.
The first prominent signs of Nivethan's superior skillset Down Under came with the New South Wales (NSW) junior team. In 2017, Nivethan made a mark in NSW's Moore Shield. His sturdy performances with the bat and ball earned him the "Best Moore shield player of the year in NSW'. Two years later, Nivethan shone for the Australia U-16 team against Pakistan U-16 on their UAE tour. During that series, Nivethan led his side's bowling charts with 7 wickets in 4 outings and also scored 145 runs. Nivethan's allround abilities fetched him contracts with TNPL sides Karaikudi Kaalai and Dindigul Dragons. The year got better for Nivethan when he signed up for Tasmanian Tigers to feature in the Sheffield Shield in June.
Nivethan's cricket journey began quite early in Chennai. Even before he turned 5, he had played his first game. "My good friend S Prabhu, who runs the Swaraj Cricket Academy, took Nivethan to watch the Blue Star U-12 tournament, where his team was playing YMCA Nandanam. As luck would have it, a player wasn't available and Nivethan got to play. He went on to score 18 runs opening the innings," Nivethan's father Anbu Selvan, a former Tamil Nadu junior player, reminisced.
Prabhu, who works with the postal department, hailed Nivethan as a gutsy cricketer. "I remember him being hit on the head during a match when he was just eight. It required quick medical attention and Nivethan was back on his feet and went on to hit the same bowler for a boundary an over later," Prabhu recalled.
