List of 12 Indian Players Playing for Other Countries in Cricket
12 Indian Cricketers Playing for Other Countries in Cricket
In international cricket, several talented cricketers of Indian origin have chosen to represent countries other than India. A variety of factors can influence this decision. Some may have personal reasons, such as relocating to another country, while others could be playing for nations where their parents have settled down.
Notable players such as Ajaz Patel (NZ), Ravi Bopara (ENG), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI), Hashim Amla (SA), Rachin Ravindra, and Sunil Narine have excelled as Indian players in other cricket teams, showcasing exceptional skills on the global stage.
The 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup featured a talented group of cricketers with Indian roots, bringing an exciting dynamic to the tournament. Their participation made the competition even more captivating. Additionally, the tournament saw cricketers with Indian heritage competing against Team India, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the matches. While some posed challenges to India’s dominance, their involvement made the contests even more compelling.
Cricketers who played and are playing for other countries | List of Indian-Origin Cricketers
Let us look at 10 Indian cricketers who played for other countries instead of India.
Ajaz Patel
Ajaz Yunus Patel, born in Mumbai, India, on 21 October 1988, is a New Zealand cricketer who plays for Central Districts in domestic cricket. Patel is a slow left-arm orthodox spin bowler. He made his international debut in October 2018 and Test debut in November of the same year, during which he took five wickets in the second innings. In December 2021, during the second Test against India, Patel took all ten wickets in an innings, becoming the third bowler in Test cricket to achieve this feat. Despite his remarkable performance, New Zealand suffered a heavy defeat in the match, making Patel the only one of the three bowlers to end up on the losing side after achieving this remarkable feat.
| Category | Details |
| Born | October 21, 1988 |
| Place | Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, India |
| Batting Style | Left-hand Bat |
| Bowling Style | Slow Left arm Orthodox |
| Career Span | 2018-2024 |
| Runs | 1845 |
| Wickets | 62 |
Ravi Bopara
Ravinder Singh Bopara, born on 4th May 1985, is an English cricketer who last played for Sussex County Cricket Club in one-day cricket in 2023 and has represented the England national team. He is one of the cricketers of Indian origin in England. Originally a top-order batsman, his developing medium-pace bowling has made him an all-rounder in the one-day game. Bopara has also played for Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League, Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League, Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League, and Chittagong Vikings in the Bangladesh Premier League. Bopara was a member of the England team that won the 2010 ICC World Twenty20.
| Category | Details |
| Born | May 4, 1985 |
| Place | Forest Gate, London |
| Batting Style | Right-hand Bat |
| Bowling Style | Right Arm Medium |
| Career Span | 2007-2015 |
| Runs | 3981 |
| Wickets | 57 |
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, one of the Indian-origin players in international cricket, was born on 16 August 1974 to Indo-Guyanese parents, is a Guyanese cricket coach, former West Indies cricket team captain, and one of the greatest batsmen of his era. He is the 10th-highest run scorer of all time in international cricket and the 8th-highest in Test cricket. Chanderpaul is the head coach of the USA senior women’s and the USA Under-19 women’s teams. In November 2022, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame and was honored with the Cacique’s Crown of Honour in 2009.
| Category | Details |
| Born | August 16, 1974 |
| Place | Unity Village, East Coast, Demerara, Guyana |
| Batting Style | Left-hand Bat |
| Bowling Style | Legbreak |
| Career Span | 1994-2015 |
| Runs | 20988 |
| Wickets | 23 |
Hashim Amla
Hashim Mahomed Amla is a South African former international cricketer who captained the national side in Tests and ODIs. Born in Durban, Amla is a devout Muslim. He is of Indian descent; his grandfather migrated to South Africa from Surat, India, in 1927. His elder brother, Ahmed Amla, was also a professional cricketer. Amla is the fastest to score 3,000, 4,000, 6,000, and 7,000 ODI runs and the second fastest to reach 5,000 runs. He also became the fastest cricketer to reach 10 ODI centuries. He is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen to have played for South Africa cricket team and one of the greatest opening batsmen of all time.
| Category | Details |
| Born | March 31, 1983 |
| Place | Durban |
| Batting Style | Right-hand bat |
| Bowling Style | Right arm medium |
| Career Span | 2004-2019 |
| Runs | 18672 |
| Wickets | 0 |
Rachin Ravindra
Among the most notable present-day Indian cricketers playing for other countries, Rachin Ravindra is significant. Ravindra was born in Wellington on 18 November 1999 to parents from Bangalore. His father, Ravi Krishnamurthy, a software architect, played club-level cricket in Bangalore before settling in New Zealand in 1997. Rachin’s first name was reported to be a combination of the first names of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. He began his cricket journey influenced by Sachin Tendulkar. Rachin started playing cricket in Wellington at age five and traveled to Bangalore yearly to play club cricket. He made his international debut for the New Zealand cricket team in September 2021. In December 2023, Rachin was signed by the Chennai Super Kings in the player auction for the 2024 Indian Premier League.
| Category | Details |
| Born | November 18, 1999 |
| Place | Wellington |
| Batting Style | Left-hand bat |
| Bowling Style | Slow Left Arm Orthodox |
| Career Span | 2021-2014 |
| Runs | 1563 |
| Wickets | 39 |
Sunil Narine
Sunil Narine is a West Indian cricketer of Indian descent from Trinidad, born on May 26, 1988. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut in December 2011 and his Test match debut in June 2012. Since 2012, Narine has been an integral part of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL and has only played for this franchise in the competition. He played a significant role in the team’s two title victories in 2012 and 2014, taking over 20 wickets in both seasons. In November 2023, he announced his retirement from international cricket. Narine is the highest wicket-taker in the Indian Premier League among overseas spinners and was among the first mystery spinners in the IPL. Furthermore, in IPL 2024, he became the first player to score 500 runs and take 15 wickets in a single season.
| Category | Details |
| Born | May 26, 1988 |
| Place | Arima, Trinidad and Tobago |
| Batting Style | Left-hand bat |
| Bowling Style | Right Arm off-break |
| Career Span | 2011-2019 |
| Runs | 558 |
| Wickets | 169 |
Keshav Maharaj
Keshav Maharaj was born on 7 February 1990 in a Hindu family to Athmanand Maharaj and Kanchan Mala in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Maharaj is of Indian ancestry. His great-grandfather hailed from Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, and migrated to Durban in 1874 as an indentured laborer. His father played as a wicketkeeper for KwaZulu-Natal. Maharaj represents the South Africa national team in Tests, One Day International (ODI), and Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket. He is currently the vice-captain of the side in limited-overs cricket. Maharaj also captains Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20. In September 2021, Maharaj captained South Africa for the first time in ODIs against Sri Lanka. He also made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka in the same month while captaining the team in his debut match. Maharaj became the second bowler from South Africa to take a hat-trick in a Test match in June 2021 against West Indies.
| Category | Details |
| Born | February 7, 1990 |
| Place | Durban |
| Batting Style | Right-hand bat |
| Bowling Style | Slow Left Arm Orthodox |
| Career Span | 2016-2024 |
| Runs | 1456 |
| Wickets | 242 |
Ish Sodhi
Inderbir Singh “Ish” Sodhi, a New Zealand cricketer, was born in Punjab, India. He represents the New Zealand national cricket team in all formats and Canterbury in domestic cricket. Sodhi is of Punjabi descent and was born in Ludhiana, India, to a Sikh family. His grandparents are from Lahore, Pakistan. He moved to Papatoetoe, New Zealand, with his family when he was four. In January 2018, he reached the No. 1 ranking for T20I bowlers, jumping from No. 10 at the end of the previous year. He was also part of the New Zealand squad that finished as runners-up at the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
| Category | Details |
| Born | October 31, 1992 |
| Place | Ludhiana, India |
| Batting Style | Right-hand bat |
| Bowling Style | Legbreak |
| Career Span | 2013-2024 |
| Runs | 924 |
| Wickets | 256 |
Vikramjit Singh
Vikramjit Singh was born on January 9, 2003, in Cheema Khurd, Punjab, India, to a Sikh family. His grandfather, Khushi Cheema, fled to the Netherlands following the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India. Initially, he worked as a taxi driver before establishing a transport company in Amstelveen. The family moved back and forth between the Netherlands and India over the following decades before settling permanently in the Netherlands when Singh was seven. As a left-handed opening batsman, he debuted for the Netherlands national cricket team in 2019.
| Category | Details |
| Born | January 9, 2003 |
| Place | Cheema Khurd, Punjab, India |
| Batting Style | Left-hand bat |
| Bowling Style | Right Arm Medium |
| Career Span | 2022-2024 |
| Runs | 964 |
| Wickets | 7 |
Nasser Hussain
Nasser Hussain was one of the pioneers of Indian players who played for other countries. Hussain was born in Madras, India, on 28 March 1968 into a Muslim family. His father, Raza Jawad ‘Joe’ Hussain, was an Indian Muslim, passionate cricketer, and field hockey player. He was a descendant of Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah, the Nawab of Arcot State, in the second half of the 18th century. Nasser’s mother, Shireen (originally Patricia Price), is English. His father moved the family to England in 1975. Hussain captained the England cricket team between 1999 and 2003, extending his international career from 1990 to 2004. A determined right-handed batsman, Hussain scored over 30,000 runs from over 650 matches across all first-class and List-A cricket, including 62 centuries.
| Category | Details |
| Born | March 28, 1968 |
| Place | Madras (Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India |
| Batting Style | Right-hand bat |
| Bowling Style | Legbreak |
| Career Span | 1990-2004 |
| Runs | 5764 |
| Wickets | 0 |
Saurabh Netravalkar
Saurabh Naresh Netravalkar, born on October 16, 1991, is an Indian-born cricketer and software engineer who currently plays for the United States cricket team. He moved to the USA in 2015 to pursue higher studies in software engineering at 23. Netravalkar is presently employed at Oracle and holds an H1B visa. He is a left-arm medium-fast bowler who previously represented the India under-19 team and participated in the 2010 U19 World Cup. In this tournament, he played alongside KL Rahul, Jaydev Unadkat, and Mayank Agarwal, who later played for the Indian national cricket team. Netravalkar made his first-class debut for Mumbai on December 22, 2013, during the 2013–14 Ranji Trophy, and he made his List A debut on February 27, 2014, for Mumbai in the 2013–14 Vijay Hazare Trophy.
| Category | Details |
| Born | October 16, 1991 |
| Place | Mumbai |
| Batting Style | Right-hand bat |
| Bowling Style | Left-arm Fast Medium |
| Career Span | 2019-2024 |
| Runs | 1626 |
| Wickets | 73 |
Harmeet Singh
Harmeet Singh Baddhan (born 7 September 1992) is an Indian-born cricketer who plays for the United States national cricket team. He has previously played for Mumbai and Tripura before moving to the United States to play Minor League Cricket. He was part of the India Under-19 cricket team in the 2012 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. He is a slow left-arm orthodox bowler and was a member of the Rajasthan Royals squad during the 2013 Indian Premier League. Harmeet was Tripura’s leading wicket-taker in the 2018–19 Vijay Hazare Trophy, with thirteen dismissals in eight matches. In August 2021, he moved to Seattle, where he now captains the Seattle Thunderbolts in Minor League Cricket. In March 2024, he was named in the United States’ squad for their Twenty20 International (T20I) series against Canada. He made his T20I debut for the USA on 7 April 2024 against Canada.
| Category | Details |
| Born | September 7, 1992 |
| Place | Mumbai |
| Batting Style | Left-hand bat |
| Bowling Style | Slow Left-arm Orthodox |
| Career Span | 2024 |
| Runs | 186 |
| Wickets | 7 |
Indian players representing other countries in cricket showcase the sport’s global appeal and inclusive nature. These players often migrate for better opportunities and bring a rich heritage and unique talent honed in India’s cricketing culture. Their participation in international cricket for other nations enhances the competitive spirit and fosters a sense of unity and diversity within the cricketing community. This phenomenon highlights the sport’s ability to transcend borders, promoting multiculturalism and inclusivity. Ultimately, the success and acceptance of Indian-origin players in foreign teams is a testament to cricket’s universal language and its power to unite people from different backgrounds, celebrating the spirit of sportsmanship and global camaraderie.
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FAQs on Indian Players Playing for Other Countries in Cricket
Which popular Indian player played for another country?
Iftikhar Ali Khan, the senior Nawab of Pataudi, is a popular Indian cricketer and the only Indian cricketer to play for both England and India.
Which Indian-born cricketers play for Australia?
Gurinder Singh Sandhu was an Australian player of Indian descent. Previously, Stuart Clarke, an Anglo-Indian, also played for Australia.
Which Indian player played for England?
Ranjitsinhji was known as the ‘Father of Indian Cricket’ but never got a chance to play for his own country. He represented England in 1896 and scored a glorious century in his Test debut. The Senior Nawab of Pataudi played for both England and India. Other players who played for England include Nasser Hussain, Mudhsuden Singh (Monty Panesar), Ravi Bopara, and Vikram Solanki.
Which Indian player played for South Africa?
Keshav Maharaj, Prenelan Subrayen, Hashim Amla, Jonathan Vandiar, and Senuran Muthusamy are cricketers of Indian descent representing South Africa.
Which Indian cricket players played for Pakistan?
Three players have represented both India and Pakistan in international cricket. Gul Mohammad and Abdul Kardar debuted in an England-India Test in 1946 before Gul Mohammad took Pakistani citizenship in 1955. Kardar captained Pakistan in 1952 and led the team against all the then-Test-playing nations. Amir Elahi played one test for India and five for Pakistan.
