Australia opener Travis Head has been ruled out of the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. He has been granted a personal leave. All-rounder Nikhil Chaudhary has been called up as his replacement. With that, the 30-year-old could become the first Indian-born man to represent Australia in more than 60 years if selected for the matches in Chattogram.ย
Chaudhary is currently playing for JB Bruges in Belgium’s EUT20 competition and will join Australia’s white-ball squad in Dhaka on Friday. In the IPL 2026, he spent time with the Delhi Capitals, but wasnโt added to the squad. He was training as a possible replacement.ย
As things stand, the competition for a place in the middle order remains strong, with Chaudhary among several players pushing for selection in the T20I side. Joel Davies and Aaron Hardie are also part of the squad.
“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,โ selector Tony Dodemaide said of Chaudary, who trained with Australia’s white-ball group before they left for Pakistan last month.
Who is the last India-born player to play for Australia?
While Australia has fielded several players of Indian heritage in recent years, no Indian-born man has appeared for the national side since Gujarat-born leg-spinner Rex Sellars played in the 1964 Test in Calcutta. A Chaudhary debut would therefore mark a notable moment in Australian cricket history.
Who is Nikhil Chaudhary?
Notably, born in Delhi, Chaudhary played 14 limited-overs matches for Punjab, sharing the dressing room with players including Harbhajan Singh, Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma. He also trialled with Mumbai Indians before his move to Australia.
His path to professional cricket took an unexpected turn when a visit to Queensland coincided with pandemic-related border closures. Determined to continue pursuing the game, he remained in Australia and balanced cricket with a series of jobs before earning opportunities at a higher level.
Former international all-rounder James Hopes helped open the door to the Hobart Hurricanes, where Chaudhary established himself as a valuable member of the squad. He played a role in the club’s BBL 14 title-winning campaign and produced his strongest season with the bat last year, scoring 307 runs at a strike rate of 153.
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