The first Indian to play in the BBL

Unmukt Chand, a former U-19 World Cup captain, became the first Indian male cricketer to play in Australia’s Big Bash League on Tuesday (BBL). Against the Hobart Hurricanes, the right-handed batter made his Melbourne Renegades debut.

Chand is playing under Australia’s limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch which will also feature Shaun Marsh. Last year, the 28-year-old ended his playing career in India and is now competing in other competitions throughout the world.

Chand, a former India A captain, has never represented India at the senior level but had been a part of three IPL franchises: Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians, and Rajasthan Royals. He played 67 first-class matches during his domestic career, which spanned more than a decade.

Chand made his international debut at the 2012 ICC U-19 World Cup in Australia as a teenager. In the final, he was named player of the match after scoring an unbroken 111 against an Australian side that included Travis Head and Ashton Turner, both of whom are now BBL players. Chand relocated to Uttarakhand in pursuit of stability in 2019, but he left a year later following his dismissal due to poor performance. He subsequently left Indian cricket and relocated to the United States in quest of new chances.