Almanac Teams: A South Asian-Australian XI
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With Usman Khawaja nearing the end of a remarkable career, it feels like the perfect moment to put together a team of South Asian–Australian cricketers:
Usman Khawaja (Pakistan)
Dav Whatmore (Sri Lanka)
Michael Bevan (Sri Lanka)
Jason Sangha (India)
Ashley Chandrasinghe (Sri Lanka)
Bransby Cooper (India) (WK)
Ashton Agar (Sri Lanka)
Rex Sellers (India)
Gurinder Sandhu (India)
Stuart Clark (India)
Fawad Ahmed (Pakistan)
Tanveer Sangha (India) (12th man)
Usman Khawaja (Pakistan)
88 Tests, 16 centuries, over 6000 runs for Australia. His resurgence as a Test player since the Sydney Test of 2021/22 has been a sight to behold.
Dav Whatmore (Sri Lanka)
7 Tests, over 6000 runs for Victoria. Coach of Sri Lanka’s historic 1996 World Cup victory.
Michael Bevan (Sri Lanka)
18 Tests, 6 half centuries and 29 wickets (including a ten-for), but made his name as one of the greatest ODI players of all time. 232 ODIs and a member of the 1999 and 2003 victorious World Cup teams (though curiously, he was not required to bat in either of those finals). Known as ‘the finisher’.
Jason Sangha (India)
Almost 3000 first-class runs, including a match-winning century for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield final last summer. Has represented Australia at Under-19 level.
Ashley Chandrasinghe (Sri Lanka)
13 first-class games for Victoria with one century. Carried his bat in the first innings of the 2022/23 Sheffield Shield final. Required in this bowler-heavy team to bolster the batting stocks.
Bransby Cooper (India) (WK)
A right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper who played in the first ever Test match in 1877.
Ashton Agar (Sri Lanka)
5 Tests for 9 wickets, but who will ever ever forget his astonishing run-a-ball 98 on debut in the 2013 Ashes series, batting at number 11. 22 ODIs for Australia. His brother Wes, has also represented Australia in ODIs, but just misses out on the team here.
Rex Sellers (India)
Leg-spinner who played one Test for Australia in 1964. 121 first-class wickets.
Gurinder Sandhu (India)
175 first-class wickets. Has represented Australia at ODI level.
Stuart Clark (India)
24 Tests, 94 wickets at the impressive average of 23.86. A key member of the all-conquering 2006/07 Test team. 377 first-class wickets.
Fawad Ahmed (Pakistan)
Leg-spinner who represented Australia at ODI level. 205 first-class wickets, including 48 wickets in Victoria’s triumphant 2014/15 season.
Tanveer Sangha (India) (12th man)
Leg-spinner who has represented Australia at ODI and T20I level. 47 first-class wickets. Watch this space.
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About Damian Balassone
Damian Balassone is a failed half-forward flanker who writes poetry. He is the author of 'Strange Game in a Strange Land'.
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I was rooting for Malcolm Francke
Thanks Damian,
Dav Whatmore dominated for the Vics.
Whilst not eligible as the criteria is South Asia Richard Chee Quee (China) deserves a mention as the second player of Chinese origin to play first class cricket (NSW, 21 games, average 28).
The first was a gentleman called Hunter Poon 1923 (QLD, 1 game).
Other first class and Australian Under 19 cricketers who were not good enough to make the team are:
Param Uppal (2 FC NSW 2018/Indian born) and Arjun Nair (5 FC NSW 2016/Indian descent).
Ashton Agar’s brother, Wes Agar (2 ODIs Australia 2021/50 FC South Australia 2016/17-presentSri Lankan heritage)
Nivethan Radhakrishan (9 FC Tasmania 2022/Indian born)
Yash Deshmukh (Indian origin) represented Australia at Under19 level.
Aryan Sharma (Indian origin) has represented Australia at Under 19 level and has been signed as a local replacement player for Scott Boland at the Melbourne Stars.
John James will represent Australia in the Under 19 World Cup from January 15 to February 6, 2026. He is of Indian origin.
Damian glad to see- Rex Sellers get a mention a man I respect enormously.What do you and Rex have in common? Thank you
Fawad Ahmed was very unlucky. He appeared in a few Australian limited over squads then disappeared into the ether.
Back in the 1960’s Sri Lankan born leg spinner Gamini Goonesena played a few seasons for New South Wales. He appeared in a few Sr Lankan teams prior to them getting test status.
Glen!
Other players who have also missed out on this team are Naden Cooray and Nitesh Samuel, two players of Sri Lankan heritage that have been selected in the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026.
Yuvraj Sharma represented Australia Under -19s in one-day games for 3 matches in 2019.
Ruwantha Kellepotha is Sri-Lankan first class cricketer who currently resides in Australia. In October 2022, he debuted for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield, marking the first such appearance by a Sri Lankan player in 60 years, and went on to score a maiden first-class century. In 2025, he transitioned to Tasmania, debuting for them in List A cricket in October. He has also played 3 BBL matches for the Melbourne Renegades from 2023-24.
Peter/Glen, I wasn’t aware of Malcolm Francke or Gamini Goonesena, but what impressive records they possess. Dan, maybe I should have extended the criteria to included Richard Chee Quee. We definitely need another batsmen in the XI. Anon, thank for the list of up and comers. Some food for thought. It would be interesting to do this exercise again in 15-20 years. And Rulebook, what do I have in common with Rex? Is he a Pies man?