On Thursday, Hobart Hurricanes emerged victorious in a close encounter against the Melbourne Renegades. The Hurricanes won their third match of the season as an Indian-origin Nikhil Chaudhary stole all the limelight on the pitch.
Chaudhary was caught on camera speaking with former Australia speedster Brett Lee. The duo conversed in Hindi on-air, as Lee was on commentating duties for the match.
He bowled two overs against the Renegades, conceded 16 runs, and picked up the wicket of Protean veteran, Quinton de Kock.
WATCH: Nikhil Chaudhary conversing in Hindi with Brett Lee
"Your Hindi is too good, mate!"
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 4, 2024
Nikhil was impressed by Binga! @BrettLee_58 #BBL13 pic.twitter.com/pM1DxJiOwh
Who is Delhi-born BBL star Nikhil Chaudhary?
Nikhil Chaudhary is a 27-year-old, Indian-origin, Australian cricketer. He was born in Delhi, but crossed borders and moved to Punjab with his family at a tender age.
Chaudhary represented Punjab in domestic cricket, playing alongside Indian veteran, Harbhajan Singh. The 27-year-old has also represented India at the U-19 level.
How was Nikhil Chaudhary eligible to play in the BBL?
Nikhil Chaudhary, as life would turn up, was on a leisure vacation to Australia in 2019. However, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions in place, Chaudhary had no choice but to find a 'home away from home' in Australia.
On his move to Australia, Chaudhary joined the Northern Suburbs Cricket Club in Brisbane. The move aligned all the stars for Chaudhary, to rise to the levels of BBL. At the Northern Suburbs, Chaudhary happened to impress his coach, former Australia International, James Hopes.
Hopes has been a part of the Hobart Hurricanes franchise in the BBL. Chaudhary was picked up by the Hurricanes ahead of the 2023-24 season and is currently playing his first season in the T20 league.
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What is Nikhil Chaudhary's bowling and batting style?
Nikhil Chaudhary is a leg spinner. He is a genuine all-rounder, and plays alongside Patrick Dooley for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League. Nikhil is a right-handed cricketer, and bats as a finisher, who is able to tonk the ball over the boundary ropes.
He is a brave bowler, who does not shy away from bowling the flighted deliveries. His bowling style is well-suited to the white-ball cricket, and more so to the T20I format.
Chaudhary has not made his international debut yet, but it is deemed that his cricketing future now lies in the Land Down Under. Chaudhary, in a recent interview with EspnCricinfo, talked about how liked the culture in Australia and that he wanted a change in surroundings to grow as a player and a person.
Nikhil Chaudhary has admitted that he wants to pursue his cricket career in Australia and not India.
When did Nikhil Chaudhary make his BBL debut?
Nikhil Chaudhary received his maiden BBL cap for Hobart Hurricanes on December 09, 2023. The Indian-origin player became only the second one to feature in the BBL, after fellow Delhi-born cricketer, Unmukt Chand.
Chaudhary made his Hurricanes debut against the Perth Scorchers. It was an away game for the Hurricanes at Perth, but Chaudhary did not miss to impress the fans and the team management. He proved his worth on his debut, as James Hopes would have been proud!
How did Nikhil Chaudhary perform on his BBL debut?
Nikhil Chaudhary was very impressive on his BBL debut. He scored 40 runs off 31 deliveries, as Hobart Hurricanes batted first against the Scorchers. Chaudhary's valuable contribution got the visitors to a total of 172 runs at the end of their 20 overs.
The Scorchers chased the target relatively easily, with nine wickets in hand. Even though Chaudhary's effort ended in a losing cause, his efforts did not go unnoticed.
Since then, Chaudhary has played some invaluable knocks, both with bat and ball. His noteworthy contribution came against the Melbourne Stars, scoring 32 runs off just 16 deliveries.
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What are Nikhil Chaudhary's BBL bowling numbers?
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Strike Rate | Economy | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 15.66 | 14.00 | 6.71 | 2/26 |
What are Nikhil Chaudhary's BBL batting numbers?
| Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | High Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 2 | 72 | 36.00 | 153.19 | 40 |
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