Indian Cricketers Who Were Born Outside India

Indian Cricketers Who Were Born Outside India: There are many players in contemporary international cricket who don’t represent their birth nation, and because of various reasons opt to play for other country. The likes of Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott, Imran Tahir, Grant Elliot and Eoin Morgan are some of the well-known examples of these.

Over the years, there have been many high-profile players who were born in India but represented another country in international cricket. But, do you know that there are cricketers from the other countries who played for India despite taking their birth in another country? Here, in this article, we figured out a few Indian cricketers, who were born outside India.

Indian Cricketers Who Were Born Outside India:

6. Ashok Gandotra – Brazil:

Statistically, Ashok Gandotra is the only man born in Brazil to play Test cricket. He was born in Rio de Janeiro in November 1948. He made his Ranji Trophy debut representing Delhi at the start of 1966 when he was only 17. Following his brilliant display of cricketing skills, he was asked to represent India during 1969/70 season.

He appeared in Two Test matches, which came against New Zealand and Australia. He scored just 54 runs in those two matches. His underwhelming performances never got him another chance to play for India. Ashok moved to Bengal team from Delhi but he failed to deliver goods. Surprisingly, he called curtains on his career at the age of 16.

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5. Lall Singh – Malaysia:

Yet another cricketer, who is the only person from a certain country to play Test cricket. Lall Singh, who born in Malaysia in the only Test cricketer from that land till date. He is also the first Test cricketer of an Asian team who was born in a non-Test playing country. Lall Singh was born in Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur in December 1909.

He played for India in its inaugural test match against England at Lords. That was his only Test Match. He recorded scores of 15 and 29 runs respectively in what turned out to be his only Test appearance. Later, he appeared in a total of 32 matches in his first-class career.

4. Khokhan Sen – Bangladesh:

Born May 31, 1926, Khokhan Sen was the first wicketkeeper to become a regular feature in the Indian side. He is well-known as Probir Kumar Sen. A testimony to Sen’s pedigree is the fact that he played 14 Tests after India had 6 glovemen in her first 12 games.

He was reportedly born in Comilla in 1926. He made his debut for Bengal and by the time he made his debut for India, Comilla was part of East Pakistan as India had gained independence and it was partitioned. Later, he continued for four years but unfortunately, failed to deliver consistently.

Probir played as many as 82 first-class matches. He amassed 2580 runs during his 15-year first-class career at an average of 23.24 with help of three centuries. Probir affected 108 dismissals in 70 first-class games as a wicketkeeper – 97 catches and 35 stumpings.

3. Salim Durani – Afghanistan

Afghanistan may have been the latest entrants in Test cricket but one cricketer from their country has put them in the International Test Cricket by representing India in 1960. The left-handed batsman Salim Durani was born in Afghanistan’s Kabul in December 1934.

The Arjuna awardee made his Test debut at the start of 1960 against Australia at the Brabourne Stadium. He featured in a total of 29 Test matches for India where he scored 1202 runs with help of eight 50+ scores including a hundred.

Durani also bagged 75 wickets with his left-arm spin at an average of 35.42. Salim amassed 199 runs and claimed 23 wickets during India’s home Test series win in 1961/62 against England which was only his 2nd series.

2. Ten Players – Pakistan

Have you ever imagined that a player born in Pakistan would end up playing for India in international cricket? Well, much to anyone’s surprise, there are as many as ten such players, who represented India in Test cricket despite being born in Karachi and Lahore of Pakistan.

Naoomal Jaoomal, Jenni Irani, Gogumal Kishenchand, Gulabrai Ramchand and Pananmal Punjabi were born in Karachi while Dilawar Hussain, Gul Mohammad, Abdul Kardar, Man Sood and Amir Elahi are the others, who were born in Lahore. All these ten players were born in cities which became a part of Pakistan after Independence.

Off all, Gulabrai Ramchand is the most experienced Indian Test cricketer from Karachi. He featured in 33 Test matches, scoring 1180 runs and claimed 41 wickets. Later, Gul Mohammad, Kardar and Elahi ended up playing for Pakistan after the Independence.

1. Robin Singh – Trinidad and Tobago

One of the best all-rounders in the Indian Cricket, Robin Singh also born in another country before ending his professional career as one of the best for the Indian National Cricket Team. He is the most-capped player of India, who was born outside India. The all-rounder featured in 136 ODI matches but his debut Test in 1999 turned out to be his last as well.

Robin was born in the Princes Town, which is a city in Trinidad and Tobago. Many don’t know that he made his professional debut for his home team before moving to India. In October 1998, Robin made his Test debut against Zimbabwe.

In his 136 ODI matches, Robin Singh scored 2336 runs with one hundred and nine half-centuries. He also bagged 69 wickets in his ODI career with 5/22 being his best.

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