Nikhil Chaudhary earns maiden Australia callup for Bangladesh T20I

Delhi-born allrounder Nikhil Chaudhary, who used to play domestic cricket for Punjab, has received his first Australia call-up after being added to the squad for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. He replaces Travis Head, who was picked in both limited-overs squads for the tour but remains unavailable due to personal reasons.

The 30-year-old leg-spinning allrounder is set to join the squad in Dhaka ahead of the series, which begins in Chattogram on June 17. Before the team left for the tour, Chaudhary was a member of Australia's standby group and trained with the team in Brisbane.

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

He impressed for Tasmania since his role in the Hobart Hurricanes' BBL title-winning campaign in 2024 and 2025. Last season, he scored his maiden Sheffield Shield hundred and took his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. If he plays in Bangladesh, 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. "His performance in the BBL, particularly during the previous season, has impressed the panel, which led to his selection to the squad. He has also been part of the Delhi Capitals setup in this year's IPL.

"Nikhil will gain invaluable experience in Bangladesh and will be in contention to play his first game for Australia when we sit down to pick a team for the opening T20 fixture here next week."

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