India's influence on Australian cricket goes against all sporting trends and is much needed

Australia have been humiliated again in the Test cricket arena by India.

The Jasprit Bumrah-led side bounced back from a shock loss to New Zealand earlier this month with a display of peerless class and ruthlessness at Perth Stadium.

It leaves Australia pondering a fifth consecutive series loss against the subcontinental power.

The depth of talent is an immediate concern, especially when it comes to batting, but in the longer term it may not be an issue if Australia can do what the Kiwis have been promoting and develop players of South Asian descent to take on the homeland of to help their parents counterattack.

New Zealand's victory involved three Test cricketers of Indian origin.

Rachin Ravindra, 25, made a century and was named man of the match in the first Test of the series; Ajaz Patel, 36, took 11 wickets and was man of the match in the third Test. Legspinner Ish Sohdi also played in the third Test.

Australian cricket was jealous: the last Test series win against India was in 2014-15 when Michael Clarke was captain and the series was played on home soil.

The last time India visited Australia for a Test series was in 2020-21, when the visitors won 2-1.

Pat Cummins and his attackers may still be able to win the current series, but that will require a mighty comeback.

If Australia wants to beat India or even remain competitive in the future, Cricket Australia knows it will need a richer talent pool at all representative levels.

It happens slowly.

Cricket in Australia and India are now inextricably linked by the record number of South Asians playing Down Under.

“Cricket is a part of life in South Asia,” says Adelaide-based cricket commentator Bharat Sundaresan, a native of Mumbai.

The boom

The current boom in participation is unlike any other trend in Australian sport: five years ago, 10 percent of cricketers registered in Australia at all levels were of South Asian descent; That's according to Cricket Australia chief of cricket James Allsop This figure is 20 percent and rising.

Enrollments for 'Cricket Blast', a backyard introductory cricket-style program for children under 10, saw children born to parents from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan increase by 26 percent for boys and 29 percent for girls the past year.

Representative programs from local, state and national organizations have noted that 17 percent of their players are now of South Asian descent.

In the under-12 age group, that number is as high as 40 percent in boys and 25 percent in girls.

But the revolution has yet to reach the professional ranks, where contracted state players from South Asian families make up less than five percent of the 166 elite men and 122 women.

At the top level, only Usman Khawaja and Alana King have national contracts.

Cricket Australia has set out a multicultural plan that aims to double the number of South Asian players at state level by 2027.

Cricket Australia's chief cricket officer James Allsopp is also optimistic.

“We are making progress,” Alspp said.

“But we still have a lot of work to do and we are not afraid of that. We want to ensure that all clubs accommodate people from all cultural backgrounds, which has been a big focus over the last five years. .”

Transforming Australian cricket at the highest level

The biggest challenge for Cricket Australia is to leverage this move for a healthier grassroots system while identifying world-class players of Indian and South Asian descent to compete against their parents' homelands.

Australian U19 spinner Vishwa Ramkumar, 18, is an epitome of success.

Vishwa's father Ram Srinivasan first wanted to move to Australia after watching India win the Cricket World Cup at the MCG in 1985.

It took him twenty years to emigrate via New Zealand (Vishwa was born in Auckland) before settling in Melbourne.

“My father was passionate,” says Vishwa.

Vishwa was a standout at the age of nine, always competing with older boys and his progression through the talent pathway system was seamless.

“They saw something special in Vishwa,” says Mr. Srinivasan. “They gave him that opportunity. And I hope he continues to receive the blessings.”

Seize transcontinental opportunities

Vishwa now plays for Dandenong in the Victorian Premier competition, a step down from state cricket.

“Vish has been great since he joined us,” said Dandenong coach Tom Donnell.

“There are a lot more opportunities now for all cricketers. Vishwa went to India for a month off-season and played there and took a few guys with him. India is a powerhouse in cricket so it's a good idea to go there to draw on their resources.”

Vishwa also represented the Australian Under-19 team in India last month.

“It was a surreal experience playing in India,” says Vishwa.

Relatives from India and Melbourne were there to watch him.

His mother's cousin Satya Jagan, from Navi Mumbai, said her family was cheering for Vishwa, and therefore Australia.

“I was just speechless,” she says. “You know I've been manifesting this for so many years.”

Cheering during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be more complicated for Vishwa's father.

“I keep telling Vishwa that you should support Australia,” says Srinivasan.

“I would say [my own allegiances are] 51/49 percent [for India]. It's closing.”

Bharat Sundaresan believes the biggest change in Australian cricket will happen when Vishwa Ramkumar or Australian women's under-19 star Hasrat Gill finally cracks the national Test teams.

The biggest challenge

New South Wales signed player Tanveer Sangha is of Indian descent and says the transformation will ultimately be based on merit.

“It's 11 or 12 people who are picked in the Australian cricket team,” Sangha says at 7.30pm.

“So I think you have to have the best skills in the world to be picked in that team. Even more so [players of South Asian heritage] you get to the bottom [community-level] the more you get to the top.”

Khawaja spoke on 7:30 three years ago about the cultural changes needed for South Asian heritage actors to follow in his footsteps.

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“It was difficult to break that cultural barrier,” Khawaja said at the time.

“You know, I didn't go out drinking. I went to pray on Friday, so I was very different. And in a way you are blamed for that. And I saw it from time to time.

“The majority, 98 percent of the people I've dealt with in cricket have been great people, but whether they understand it or want to admit it or not, there's always a certain connection you have with someone who's a little bit more like you. who has similar cultural beliefs as you.”

Sundaresan, a multicultural ambassador from CA, says the sport's bosses should continue to listen to Khawaja.

“He is a success story,” says Sundaresan. “Firstly, recognize the fact that Usman Khawaja got to where he is today despite being put in positions that were very uncomfortable for him.

Sundaresan also recommends that CA seek coaches and referees of South Asian descent for leadership roles.

“For people who come from that part of the world, the cricket coach is put on the same pedestal as a teacher, school principal or even the parent.”

He also believes that the Big Bash League will be a good format for young players to prove themselves before reaching international cricket.

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