After Australia’s debut in T20Is, Nikhil Chaudhary has his sights set on a push towards the ODI World Cup

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It was 5 p.m., and the kids at the Galaxy Cricket Academy in Ludhiana, Punjab state, about 100 kilometers from Chandigarh, were buzzing. the reason? Nikhil Chaudharyan alumni, returned for the first time since his T20I debut. Who first came to Australianot India, which only added to the excitement.

With his broad shoulders, tattooed forearms, and Dolce & Gabbana goggles, Choudhury has an imposing presence. But as soon as he removed his goggles to greet his childhood coach, Charanjit Pangu, his warm smile made his tired eyes light up. He then shook hands with all the kids and knocked their bats over before interacting with the media.

Chaudhary arrived in India that very morning, and his busy day was just an extension of his busy life since his debut. In Bangladesh In June. Later that month, he was in America to attend the MLC conference. July took him to England for a hundred and August to the Caribbean for a short spell in the CPL with St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots. He spent “three or four days” in India before traveling to Australia, returning in October With the touring Australia side.

Choudhury, 30, is a middle-order batsman who can also bowl usefully off the legs. Like any cricketing kid, he too grew up wanting to represent his country. But life was like that Other plans. In 2020, he got stuck in Australia due to Covid and started practicing there.

When asked how it felt to play for another country, Choudhary’s response was more practical now. “It didn’t really matter to me because I just wanted to play cricket,” he told Cricinfo. “If you see, most of the players never represent their country. They end their career playing domestic cricket. Some move to another country to play club cricket. So, if you love cricket, you just want to play cricket, it doesn’t matter for whom.”

Chaudhary’s next goal is to play ODI cricket for Australia, and he took a step towards that on Tuesday when he was named in Australia A’s three-man one-day squad for India next month. However, fellow all-rounder Joel Davies, who made his T20I debut alongside Choudhury, will first get a chance with the full squad in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

“I want to play 50-over cricket and if I get the opportunity, I will play Tests too,” he said. “My first target is the 2027 ODI World Cup, then the T20 World Cup the following year. I want to represent Australia for as long as possible.”

When he was stranded in Australia, he had played just two List A matches and 12 T20 matches for Punjab. Three years later, he was playing for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL, and two more years later, he made his first-class debut for Tasmania. Regarded as a white-ball specialist in his homeland, Choudhary scored 76 off 80 balls and took five in his first Sheffield Shield match, finishing the season with 393 runs at 32.75. With a best of 163.

With the 2026-27 One-Day Cup starting later this month, Choudhury is keen to build on those gains with a simple approach.

“My plan has always been the same: work hard, do your best, and try to make your team win,” he said. “Whatever opportunity you get, give it a shot.”

Chaudhary is quick to admit that none of this would have been possible without Bhangu. “My coach has played a huge role in my career. Just as anyone has parents in life, he is a parent to me in cricket,” he said. “I was about 13 when I first met him. He not only taught me cricket but also taught me how to live life as a professional cricketer. That helped me a lot.”

Bhanjo also treats Chaudhary like his own son. “As a coach, your biggest dream is for your student to play at the international level,” he said. “Nikhil followed my advice from the beginning, which makes me proud now.

“Now my dream is that my other student, Nihal WaderaHe also plays for India, and one day, he and Nikhil are facing each other, and I go to the field wearing a shirt that is half Indian and half Australian.”

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