Nikhil Chaudhary earns maiden Australia call-up

Delhi-born allrounder Nikhil Chaudhary has received his first Australia call-up for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. He replaces Travis Head, who is unavailable due to personal reasons.

The 30-year-old leg-spinning allrounder will join the squad in Dhaka ahead of the series, which begins in Chattogram on June 17. Chaudhary was part of Australia's standby group and trained with the squad in Brisbane before departure.

Chaudhary played for Punjab between 2017 and 2019 before a trip to Australia in 2020 coincided with COVID-19 border closures. He has since settled in the country and progressed through domestic ranks. Although not yet an Australian citizen, he is eligible under ICC rules after completing the required five-year residency period.

He played a key role in Hobart Hurricanes' BBL title-winning campaign in 2024-25 and has since impressed for Tasmania. Last season, he scored his maiden Sheffield Shield hundred and took his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. If he plays, he will become the first India-born men's cricketer to represent Australia in over 60 years.

"Nikhil has been a player of national interest for some time," selector Tony Dodemaide said. "The panel has been impressed by his BBL form, particularly last season. He has also been part of the Delhi Capitals setup in this year's IPL."

Updated Australia T20I squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Nikhil Chaudhary, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Adam Zampa