Know more about Nivethan Radhakrishnan – Australia’s U19 bowler from Tamil Nadu
Nivethan Radhakrishnan, who is a part of Australia’s U-19 team in the ongoing World Cup in the West Indies was born on November 25, 2002, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He is an all-rounder who bats left-handed and bowls right-arm off-break and slow left-arm orthodox. The young lad became the centre of attraction on the opening day of the U-19 World Cup when Australia locked horns with the hosts West Indies as the spinner showcased his ambidextrous skills and stunned the cricketing world.
In the year 2013, at the age of ten, Nivethan nicknamed ‘Nivvi’ moved to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia along with his family. His father was a former junior Tamil Nadu cricketer. The India-born Nivvi has played in the TNCA first division for Swaraj CC and was a part of two Tamil Nadu Premier League squads namely Karaikudi Kaalai and Dindigul Dragons in the years 2017 and 2018 respectively.
Having been part of the New South Wales system, Radhakrishnan played for an Australia U-16 team against Pakistan in Dubai in the year 2019. He was the highest wicket-taker for his team with seven wickets in four ODI matches. For his unique bowling style, he is the only known ambidextrous cricketer in Australia. In 2020, he was one of the four cricketers to win the Bill O’Reilly Medal and also received the Basil Sellers scholarship.
The rookie bowler got an offer from New South Wales but he decided to join Tasmania Tigers as he earned his first professional contract in 2021. Ahead of the 2021/22 season, Nivvi along with another all-rounder Bradley Hope were signed by Tasmania. Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis possesses the same extraordinary talent as Radhakrishnan’s as the Lankan switches between right and left-arm spin. In the same year, Nivvi got selected as a net bowler for the Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Capitals where he also batted under the watchful eyes of coach Ricky Ponting.
In December 2021, Nivethan who considers West Indies all-rounder Sir Garfield Sobers as his idol got named in the Australian team for the ongoing ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2022. In the opening match itself, Nivvi hogged the limelight with his exceptional skill as he snared three wickets for 48 runs in ten overs and also scored handy 31 runs off 58 deliveries coming in to bat at five with his side winning the game by six wickets.
