Key Points
- Two of the top three most popular surnames registered in Australian cricket are of Indian origin.
- Singh, Smith and Patel are the most common surnames in Australian cricket.
- Cricket Australia says it has strategies to encourage growth among diverse communities.
Melbourne-based Bani Singh, 14, currently represents the Craigieburn Cricket Club and dreams of a career playing the sport she loves.
The all-rounder's cricket journey began at the age of seven and she has been playing in the Under-14s competition since she was just nine.
In the recently concluded summer 2023-24 season, Bani scored 268 runs in 30 matches at an average of 33.50 runs and took 12 wickets.
Bani Singh plays for the Craigieburn Cricket Club in Melbourne. Credit: Tejbir Singh
"Demographically, cricket in Australia has changed a lot over the last 10-15 years," he told SBS Gujarati.
“When I played in the South Caulfield League, I was the only Indian-origin player on the four turf teams. Over the years, the situation has changed a lot.”
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This change appears to be backed by Cricket Australia's data for 2023/2024 season, which suggests that Singh is the most registered surname in Australian cricket with 4,262 entries.
The data, supplied to SBS Gujarati, shows the surnames Smith and Patel in second and third places, with 2,364 and 2,323 entries, respectively.
The surname Singh first exceeded Smith in the year 2018-19, and has held top place since.
Credit: Cricket Australia
Tejbir, who said he supports his daughter the same way whether she scores a lot of runs or a duck, is encouraged by this trend.
I have seen teams full of players of Indian and South Asian origin, which I believe is awesome for our game.Tejbir Singh
According to the cricket data management website Play HQ, other Indian-origin surnames Sharma, Khan and Kumar are among the top 16 most registered surnames on the list.
Love for cricket among South Asian communities
Tirth Patel, 11, plays for multiple clubs in Sydney's west, including Seven Hills Toongabbie RSL Club, Parramatta District Cricket Association, and Riverbank Public School.
A batting all-rounder, Tirth has played the sport since he was seven.
"I represent the Under 12 Division 1 team of the Seven Hills Toongabbie RSL Club, and my performance has improved," he said.
Tirth Patel plays for Seven Hills Toongabbie RSL Club in Western Sydney. Credit: Supplied
He also took 17 wickets, including three for five runs in one match.
"I dream of playing in the Big Bash League and representing the Australian men's cricket team at the international level," he said.
Tirth's father, Vishal Patel, said his son has opportunities to progress in the sport that his generation didn’t.
"We all know that cricket is like a religion in India. When we migrated to Australia from India two decades ago, we didn't have enough opportunities to play cricket, but I am fulfilling Tirth's dream of becoming a professional cricketer."
From early morning practice sessions to attending matches and tournaments, we as parents invest considerable time, effort, and resources in nurturing Tirth's talent and providing growth opportunities.Vishal Patel
Plan to attract more CALD communities
According to Cricket Australia, there are currently 70,000 registered participants from the South Asian community in Australia, and their aim is to reach the 100,000 mark by 2027.
"Cricket Australia's Multicultural Action Plan, launched in December by Usman Khawaja and Lisa Sthalekar, is a significant part of cricket's commitment to fostering inclusivity within the sport," it said in a statement.
A batsman preparing to hit a cricket ball. Credit: Corbis/VCG/Getty Images
It also plans to implement a South Asian mentoring and leadership program to provide opportunities for staff of all backgrounds.
Since 2007, the percentage of South Asian players in Australian National Teams for men has been 2.3 per cent in tests, 5.2 per cent in one-day internationals (ODIs), and 3.1 per cent in T20 internationals. For women, it has been 5.3 per cent in tests, 3.6 per cent in ODIs, and 3.8 per cent in T20.
Australian Cricket said it is looking at ways to ensure cricket lovers from multicultural communities attend more matches.
James Quarmby, Cricket Australia's Head of Participation, said progress is being made to ensure cricket is a “sport for all”.
We want people from multicultural communities to play a major role in all aspects of the game at the community and elite levels, whether as players, coaches, officials, administrators, or fans.James Quarmby, Cricket Australia's Head of Participation
Dhaval Bhatt, who is an umpire in the Women's Big Bash League, said that the strong grassroots representation augurs well for the future of the game.
“Participation in cricket from the South Asian community has increased in recent years and I’m sure many players from CALD communities will play for their states, WBBL and BBL, or at the international level within a decade,” Bhatt said.
“I believe we will see more migrant representation, not only as players but as umpires or at the management level in the coming years,” he added.
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