Tanveer Sangha: Meet the Second Only Indian-Origin Cricketer to Represent Australia Who Picked 4 Wickets on Debut

Until Wednesday morning, Tanveer Sangha wasn’t supposed to play in Australia’s first T20I against South Africa, on Tuesday, he wasn’t even part of the Aussie squad but the stars aligned so well, that the youngster was picked and he registered four scalps announcing his arrival on the international stage.

The 21-year-old had arrived in Durban on Tuesday ahead of next week’s ODI series, but when he was in the hotel gym, he got a pat on his back. Adam Zampa revealed that he was not feeling well, having tested negative for COVID-19 but still feeling the effects of the illness, Sangha was still battling jetlag but he gave it a thumbs up!

By the end of the series opener, the youngster was picked in the playing XI and he proved the late call very much wise, having chipped in with four wickets, after becoming only the second Indian-origin cricketer to play for Australia after Gurinder Sandhu.

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Speaking after the massive 111-run win, newly crowned captain Mitchell Marsh who had smashed 92 runs in the game revealed that the youngster did ever so well to keep a check on his nerves with the sudden opportunity.

“He was pretty chilled and said he’s ready to go,” Marsh told reporters in the post-match presser. “He got off the plane yesterday, wasn’t playing until this morning … I’m sure he was nervous, but you couldn’t tell,” he added.

Sangha was playing for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred, and the leg spinner is the youngest Australian to have a four-wicket haul to his name.

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“It’s a great start. It helped when the boys bat really well and there’s a big score on the board so you know the opposition has to come after you … that obviously helps me and makes my job a lot easier,” Sangha told SEN 1170 Breakfast after the match.

He raised plenty of eyebrows when the youngster was picked in Australia’s ODI World Cup 2023 squad, many were questioning the inclusion of a rookie player in the 18-man travelling party but, ahead of next week’s deadline, Sangha has given the selectors a welcomed headache as the squad needs to be trimmed to 15.