Gujarat’s newest export is world-class cricket talent

Not every cricketer gets to wear India blue.

But some end up wearing something just as special, the colours of countries thousands of miles away.

From the dusty gullies of Anand and Vadodara to stadiums in the USA, Canada and Oman, a surprising trend is emerging: Gujarat is quietly exporting cricket talent to the world.


Players who once dreamt of making it to Team India are now leading international sides, playing World Cups and facing the very team they once hoped to represent.

Here’s how five Gujarati cricketers took the long road to global cricket.

Monank Patel: From Anand to captain of Team USA

In Gujarat’s Charotar region, many families dream of settling in America. Monank Patel’s life followed that path, but with a cricket bat in hand.

The 32-year-old, who grew up in Anand district, represented Gujarat at the U-16, U-17 and U-19 levels. But intense competition meant he couldn’t break into the senior state side. So he moved to the US with his parents, looking for stability.

Cricket, however, refused to leave him.

“Even while running a business in the US, Monank played league cricket in New Jersey every weekend,” his father Dilip Patel told TOI.

After fulfilling residency rules and grinding it out in local leagues, Monank earned a place in the USA national team in 2018. Today, he captains the side and represented the US at the 2024 T20 World Cup.

His childhood coach Devang Desai described him to TOI as “naturally gifted, disciplined and sincere”.

From local nets in Gujarat to leading America, not bad for a boy who simply never stopped playing.

Ansh Patel: The Indian dream that turned Canadian

Ansh Patel arrived in Vadodara years ago with one clear aim, play for India.

The 23-year-old spinner trained hard and became a serious domestic prospect. But a change in BCCI eligibility rules in 2024 shut the door.

For many, that might have been the end.

For Ansh, it was a detour.

He moved to Canada, worked his way through club cricket and soon got the biggest call of his life, selection for Canada’s T20 World Cup squad.

“I was thrilled when I learned I’d been picked. This will be my first World Cup,” he said.

There’s a twist though. He may now face India on the field.

“India is one of the best teams in the world and we’d like to give them a good fight,” he added.

From dreaming of India to playing against India, cricket writes strange scripts.

Harsh Thaker: The homecoming story

Harsh Thaker was just nine when his family moved from Ahmedabad to Canada.

But cricket travelled with him.

“My father was a university-level cricketer and I’ve loved the game since childhood,” Thaker said.

He quickly rose through Canada’s junior system, Under-15, Under-19 and then senior selection. An injury ruled him out of one World Cup, but this time he’s ready.

And fate has added a poetic twist.

Canada’s match is scheduled in Ahmedabad, the city he once called home.

“It’s like a homecoming,” he said. “It’s a dream to play against India.”

Some journeys really do come full circle.

Jiten Ramanandi: From Baroda to Oman

Years ago, Jiten Ramanandi shared local grounds with Hardik Pandya in Baroda’s inter-club cricket.

Today, he’ll face him on the international stage.

The 31-year-old all-rounder now represents Oman.

“I dreamt of playing for India, but destiny had other plans,” he said. “It’s an honour to represent Oman.”

Coming from a modest background, Ramanandi moved to Oman in 2019 for work. He played company cricket, impressed selectors and eventually earned a national call-up.

“Playing for Oman is one of the best decisions I’ve made. I get good opportunities and stability,” he said.

Sometimes, opportunity comes from unexpected places.

The Odedara brothers: Porbandar to the World Cup

Porbandar is known as Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace. Now, it’s also producing international cricketers.

Brothers Jay and Ashish Odedara, both trained at the city’s Duleep Cricket School, are now part of Oman’s national squad.

Jay, an off-spinner, climbed every level of Saurashtra cricket. Ashish, an opening batter and left-arm wrist spinner, came close but couldn’t cement a domestic career.

They moved to Oman nearly a decade ago, played local cricket and slowly built their reputations.

Coach Surendra Amarkotia told TOI, “They are very good cricketers. We are happy they’ve been included in Oman’s national team.”

Not Indian caps, but international ones all the same.

Inputs from TOI