Nikhil Chaudhary earns historic Australia call-up for Bangladesh T20I series

Delhi-born all-rounder Nikhil Chaudhary has been selected in Australia’s T20I squad for the upcoming series vs Bangladesh. Chaudhary plays for Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League (BBL) and recently spent time with Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026). The 30-year-old will link up with the white-ball group in Dhaka on June 12, ahead of the T20I series beginning on June 17.

Chaudhary also trained with Australia's white-ball group before they left for Pakistan last month. Australia selector Tony Dodemaide said that the panel was impressed with Chaudhary’s BBL form, and he will gain invaluable experience in Bangladesh.

"The panel has been impressed by his BBL form, particularly last season, leading to his addition to the squad. 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,” Dodemaide was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

Nikhil Chaudhary could well become the first Indian-born man to play for Australia in more than 60 years if he earns a place in the playing XI in the upcoming T20I series. Previously, several Indian-origin players have played for Australia, including Gurinder Sandhu and Tanveer Sangha.

However, Rex Sellars, a Gujarat-born leg-spinner who played in the 1964 Kolkata Test, was the last Indian-born men's player to play for Australia. In women’s cricket, Lisa Sthalekar, born in Pune and adopted by Australian parents, was a key member of the Australian side through the 2000s.

Although Chaudhary is not an Australian citizen, he holds permanent residency and meets the International Cricket Council's (ICC) eligibility criteria to represent Australia. Born in Delhi, he played 14 limited-overs matches for Punjab, sharing the dressing room with the likes of Harbhajan Singh, Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma. The spin all-rounder also had a trial with the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.

How Chaudhary shifted to Australia?

He was visiting his uncle in Queensland when the COVID-19 pandemic shut international borders and left him stranded in Australia. However, he continued to pursue his cricketing ambitions in the country and took on a variety of jobs to support himself, including working at a Mexican restaurant, where he cut his finger, and delivering parcels as a postman.

His fortunes changed when former Australian all-rounder James Hopes, who coached him at Northern Suburbs grade cricket, recommended him to the Hobart Hurricanes. Chaudhary repaid that faith by playing a key role in the Hurricanes' BBL 2024-25 title-winning campaign.

His breakthrough season came last season when he scored 307 runs at an average of 30.70 and an impressive strike rate of 153.50. He also had a strong debut Sheffield Shield season, claiming a five-wicket haul against Queensland in October and scoring a century against New South Wales in November, performances that earned him his maiden state contract with Tasmania.

Chaudhary will compete for a place in the middle-order with the likes of Joel Davies and Aaron Hardie.

Nikhil Chaudhary's career stats

First Class Career

List-A Career

T20 Career

BBL Career

Australia T20I squad for three-match T20I series vs Bangladesh: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Nikhil Chaudhary, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Adam Zampa