Powered by success in T20 cricket, recent Notts Outlaws signing Ish Sodhi is a rising star of the world game – yet he only discovered cricket by chance.
The leg-spinner’s first county stint comes at a time when grassroots participation is a key focus for the game in England.
It is, therefore, telling that this mercurial international cricketer could so easily have been lost to the game in which he now excels.
“I was a little 12-year-old trying something new to impress someone. It’s gone alright.”
“I didn’t exactly push myself into the sport,” he said. “My mum had a couple of family friends come over from India who asked if they could join a cricket club.
“My mum said ‘well you speak English and they don’t, really, so you can look after them - and the club ended up signing me up as well.
“I was nine-years-old then, and I didn’t start to bowl leg spin until I was 12.
“I was a little 12-year-old trying something new to impress someone. It’s gone alright.”
Sodhi’s rise to prominence has come in T20 cricket, the format thought most likely to get kids excited by the game.
He is evidently, however, a student of all formats and speaks thoughtfully about the future of 50 over and five-day cricket.
“The opportunities to go around the world and play, not only for your country but clubs around the world, makes T20 really exciting," he said.
“Cricket is moving forward at a really fast pace.
“The T20 format has helped advance the ODI game with it getting bigger and bigger in people’s eyes. Hopefully the pink ball will do the same for the longer form.”
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All Stars Cricket is a nationwide programme for cricket, giving five to eight-year-old’s their first experience of the game.
The aim of getting 50,000 boys and girls excited by the game in 2017.
It’s sure to be taking place near you. Register children now.