#Thread on two cricketers from India playing for and leading their new “Home” country:

I opened @ESPNcricinfo today after many days and saw this link: https://www.usacricket.org/media-release/nadkarni-replaces-rai-on-usa-cricket-board-of-directors/?fbclid=IwAR20TajB3JRt8NjFVtStmeqqBi548HSx07ElvrIm_iBEulL9dS7lZ1RzYV0

It took me back almost 8 years ago. Back then the first thing I did on waking up was check Cricinfo! Imagine my surprise when I saw this headline: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/22341061/sushil-nadkarni-lead-usa-world-twenty20-qualifier%3fplatform=amp

As a Maharashtrian and a Punekar, I was amazed and filled with pride! I found it very intriguing that here was a guy who tried to fulfil his dream of playing cricket for India till the standard interruption by academics killed those plans!

But now here he was representing

AND leading his new “Home” country!

I thought it deserved a write up so I messaged him on Facebook and he agreed for an “interview”. We spoke on the phone for over an hour! It was surreal for me to listen to his story! Here it is:

http://tiedtest.blogspot.com/2013/03/living-dream-in-home-away-from-home.html?m=1

He has since started

a cricket academy in Houston which has taken off and recently stepped it up by launching an indoors Cricket+Baseball academy!

Around the same time, we met a couple that had come from Canada as the husband has joined the MBA program at Wharton!

Coincidentally he had done

the very same thing: immigrated from India overseas and played and captained his new “Home” country! In the World Cup that too!

Here is his story:

http://tiedtest.blogspot.com/2013/04/living-dream-in-home-away-from-home-ii.html?m=1

Ashish actually took a year off in high school to pursue cricket!Something Indian parents don’t do!

There have been many more instances since like the current US captain Saurabh Netravalkar etc.

These two stories are very dear to me and will always remain special!

Do read and share!

#cricket #India #USAcricket #Canadacricket #homeawayfromhome