As the cricket season is up and running across the country, we talked to two rising Kiwi-Indian cricket stars, who in their respective age-groups, and formats [outdoor, indoor] of play, have made waves in New Zealand cricket this year.

Adithya Ashok – New Zealand Under-19

April 2019, was good for Ashok, who moved to New Zealand from Vellore at the age of four. “I got selected for New Zealand Under-19 for the first time, to tour Bangladesh. But unfortunately, that tour got cancelled. Though I got my chance in July, when we went to Australia to play a three-match series in Brisbane. This was followed by a four-match series against Bangladesh in Lincoln. Overall, I would say my experience with Under-19s has been very good, for which I credit Paul Wiseman,” he said. [Wiseman is the Programme Lead for the New Zealand Under-19s]

Now, Ashok, who according to his coach at the Eden Roskill Cricket Club Barrington Rowland – was born with a natural talent to bowl leg-spin – is looking forward to the Auckland Under-19 tournament taking place in December.

Performance there would be the key to get selected for the Under-19 World Cup scheduled in South Africa early next year.

Talking further about Ashok , Rowland added, “I haven’t changed much in his style over the past five years per se. Just fine tuning, I would say. For me, Adithya’s greatest assets are his match temperament, fast-learning abilities, and confidence in his skills.” And Barry, as he is fondly called by his mates, would know a thing or two for spotting talent.

Apart from being a Karnataka Ranji player himself, he has coached several Blackcaps in the past 11 years he has lived in New Zealand, including Jeet Rawal, Azaz Patel, and Martin Guptill. “Apart from Barry, I credit Tony Sail, my mentor and school coach [Mount Roskill Grammer School], and ex-Blackcaps Tarun Nethula, for my cricketing journey,” Ashok noted, while adding that his routine these days is fitness-training in the mornings, and skills-training in the evenings.

Swayam Desai – New Zealand Indoor Cricket Under-22

Desai’s family moved to New Zealand in 2002, from Baroda in Gujarat. Always a cricket-fanatic, his venture into indoor cricket was accidental. “I was missing cricket during winters, when it used to rain all the time. So I thought why not try indoor cricket,” he said.

And as it happened, when he did try the indoor version of India’s unofficial national sport, he discovered, he was quite good at it. So much so, that after playing the format for close to four years, he was selected to face the Aussies in a Trans-Tasman Series in September this year, which took place in Palmerston North.

These days, he trains regularly at the Eden Roskill Cricket Club, focussing on improving his skills by repetitions. “I have discovered that repetitions, and developing a muscle memory of your skills-set, is the key to success,” he added.

His next goal is to get selected in the New Zealand’s Under-22 Indoor Cricket team for the World Cup scheduled in Australia in September 2020.

Visibly happy at the success of his players was Jagannath Nori, Manager at Eden Roskill Cricket Club, where both the players play in its premier team. Whenever they find time from their New Zealand duties, that is. “We have never had a Blackcap in our history. But with these two players coming up the ranks in New Zealand cricket, and many more potentials performing well in their respective age-groups, I am confident the club will break this drought pretty soon,” he noted.

-Gaurav Sharma