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Nikhil Chaudhary is an Indian-born cricketer who gained recognition for being the second Indian player to participate in the Big Bash League (BBL) for the Hobart Hurricanes, following in the footsteps of Unmukt Chand.
Wiki/Biography
Nikhil Chaudhary was born on Saturday, 4 May 1996 (age 27 years; as of 2024) in New Delhi. His zodiac sign is Taurus. He was born in India and lives in Queensland, Australia. His hometown is Ludhiana, Punjab. He began playing cricket when he was 10 years old.
Nikhil Chaudhary (right) as a youngster
Chaudhary moved to Punjab with his family when he was a kid.
Nikhil Chaudhary as a child with his sister
Initially, he wanted to be a fast bowler, copying the style of former Australian pacer Brett Lee. Later, he changed to off-spin and eventually settled on leg spin. At the same time, he developed into a bold batsman.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 6′ 0″
Weight (approx.): 80 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Body Measurements (approx.): Chest 42′ Waist 34′ Biceps 14′
Family
Parents & Siblings
Nikhil’s father’s name is Saneh Kumar Chaudhary, who is a businessman. There is not much information about his mother.
Nikhil Chaudhary’s parents
He has two elder sisters, Pooja and Aarti Deepak Anand, who is a nutritionist.
Nikhil Chaudhary with his sisters Pooja (left) and Aarti (right)
Career
In the 2016-2017 season, he participated in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 25 runs and securing 2 wickets against Haryana. In 2017, Chaudhary gained recognition in Indian domestic cricket as a player who stood out in both batting and all-round abilities. As an all-rounder, he found success in the U-19 cricket team and earned a spot in the Punjab team.
Nikhil Chaudhary with the Punjab team
His debut in Twenty20 cricket for Punjab was in the Inter-State Twenty-20 Tournament on 29 January 2017. Nikhil entered List-A cricket in 2017, making his debut against Haryana. He participated in 2 List-A and 16 T-20 matches for Punjab, scoring a total of 203 runs and taking 10 wickets during this period. He scored 500 runs in 7 matches in the Col. CK Naidu Trophy U23.
Nikhil Chaudhary with his team after winning Col. CK Naidu trophy U23
In his domestic cricket career, he batted well, scoring 106 runs with an average of 17.66 and a strike rate of 130.86 in T20 matches. Additionally, he took a couple of wickets with an economy rate of 8 in the same format. In List A matches, he scored 25 runs and also managed to take a wicket. While in Australia, he actively participated in club cricket for Northern Suburbs, grabbing attention for his excellent performance. His standout moment came in a semi-final where he hit seven sixes. This remarkable show led to him securing a place in the Big Bash League (BBL) after his coach, former Australian cricketer James Hopes, recommended him to the Hobart Hurricanes. In 2018, he won the under-23 one-day championship.
Nikhil Chaudhary with his team after winning under-23 one-day championship
In 2023, after playing grade cricket in Brisbane, Chaudhary joined the Hobart Hurricanes for the 2023–24 season of the Big Bash League.
Nikhil Chaudhary playing for Hobart Hurricane
He caught the crowd’s eye by scoring an impressive 40 runs in 31 balls in his debut match against the Perth Scorchers on 20 December 2023. He got bowled by left-arm fast bowler Jason Behrendorff. Additionally, he hit a six against Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf in the same match. On 28 December 2023, he made 32 runs in 16 balls against the Melbourne Stars. In 2023, during a trial match, he encountered Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and hit two sixes in a single over. He made an impact on the wickets tally by capturing two wickets against Sydney Thunder on 1 January 2024.
Domestic Teams
- 2016/2017–2018/2019: Punjab
- 2023/2024: Hobart Hurricanes
Tattoos
- A tattoo on his right forearm
- A tattoo on his right bicep
Nikhil Chaudhary’s tattoo on his right forearm and bicep
- ‘Har Maidan Fateh’ inked on his left forearm
Nikhil Chaudhary’s tattoo on left forearm
Favourites
Facts/Trivia
- His jersey number is # 4 for the Big Bash League.
- His batting style is Right-hand Bat, and his bowling style is Right-arm Off-break.
- He took his coaching under Charanjeet Singh Pangu.
Nikhil Chaudhary’s coach
- When he played for Punjab, he got to share the field with seasoned players such as Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh, an experience that turned out to be helpful for him. In an interview, he talked about this experience and said,
I learned a lot of things from him, like how to build an innings, tackle big targets and how to go deep into the innings. I knew my capability of scoring runs at any stage of the game. I really wanted to crack the IPL and also play for India.”
Nikhil Chaudhary with Yuvraj Singh
- In 2019, Chaudhary tried twice to be a part of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL), but it didn’t happen.
- While on a family vacation in Brisbane in 2020, when the borders shut due to COVID-19, he decided to give it a shot in Australia.
- In an interview, he talked about his decision to move to Australia and said,
My first goal when I moved to Australia was to be playing in the Big Bash. I would describe myself as a finisher. I’ll be there at the end in the last couple of overs scoring a couple of big ones and finishing the game for the team that will be my goal for this year.”
- When Chaudhary played club cricket, he worked as a courier at Australia Post and took on various jobs in Brisbane, including a brief period working at a Mexican restaurant.
- He was selected as a replacement player for the Brisbane Heat because of Covid-19.
- His distinct celebration called the ‘thigh-five,’ has become his trademark move, similar to the popular Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan. This action showcases his connection to his Indian roots.
Nikhil Chaudhary celebrating in Jatt Gabru way
- His highest score as of 2023 is 272 runs in a U-19 match between Ludhiana and Amritsar in Gandhi ground, Amritsar and 6 wickets giving 25 runs in another match.
- He mentioned in an interview that he received offers to play in several other leagues, including the American and Abu Dhabi leagues, after being chosen for the BBL.
- In an interview, he said that he wanted to ball to Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell and bat on Australian cricketer Mitchell Starc’s ball.
- He is frequently seen drinking alcohol on different occasions.
Nikhil Chaudhary having wine