India rivals, Indian roots: The stories of Australia ‘A’ stars Nikhil Chaudhary and Tanveer Sangha

Puducherry: India are Australia’s biggest on-field rivals. But these days, the Aussies are banking heavily on Indian-origin players who are making a mark at the highest level. As Australia ‘A’ continue their tour of India, two Indian-origin players brought up in different environments, Nikhil Chaudhary and Tanveer Sangha, offer fascinating stories of migration, identity, perseverance and ambition.For Nikhil, Australia was never part of the original plan. Born in Delhi and raised in Ludhiana, he was playing domestic cricket for Punjab when a holiday to Queensland during Covid-19 turned into a life-changing detour.“I was already playing for Punjab. But then I had to make that decision of going away from the family and starting a new journey,” Nikhil told TOI on the eve of Australia’s second ‘A’ one-dayer.The transition meant starting from scratch. He worked at a Mexican restaurant and drove as a courier to pay his bills before cricket began opening doors. The medium-pacer from Punjab eventually reinvented himself as a leg-spinning all-rounder and earned an Australia debut this year.“It’s just a different culture we have in India, where we just take everything for granted because of our mom and dad working hard for us. Here, I had to start from zero. If you are not hard-working and not able to struggle, then it’s not possible to actually play for Australia,” the hard-hitting middle-order batter said.His family in Ludhiana has remained his biggest support system, even though his father’s allegiance during an India-Australia contest remains firmly with the Men in Blue.“My dad still supports India. Just because I moved to Australia doesn’t mean he’s going to support Australia,” Nikhil said.Tanveer, on the other hand, never planned to become a cricketer. Born in Australia to Punjabi parents, he treated cricket as “a little more than a summer pastime”. Leg-spin entered his life around the age of 13 and, slowly, taking wickets began turning a hobby into a possible career.His parents’ journey, however, gave him a deeper appreciation of what it took to reach this level. His father, Joga, who played kabaddi in India and later in Australia, and his mother, Upneet, built their lives as migrants.“They’ve made huge sacrifices to get us here,” Tanveer said. “They’ve given me everything, the resources, their time, taking me everywhere to training and games.”Tanveer is also eyeing a return to the Australian side, with Adam Zampa currently firmly established as the first-choice leg-spinner. The youngster, however, sees Zampa’s presence as motivation rather than a roadblock.“My job is to keep getting better and hopefully take over his spot when he retires,” he said.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.