American cricket is reaching new heights with each passing day, and the USA cricket team is set to participate in another ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after co-hosting the last edition. Their squad includes three players who have represented India at the U19 World Cup — Saurabh Netravalkar, Harmeet Singh and Smit Patel — and is largely made up of players of Indian origin. The USA U19 squad, too, consists entirely of players of Indian origin.
In recent years, there has been a notable influx of Indian-origin talent in American cricket, with Indian players increasingly choosing to relocate to the USA in search of better opportunities. In a country where cricket runs through the veins of over 1.46 billion people, the sport is still burgeoning. A simple Google search will tell you that, according to World Population Review, India has the highest number of male professional cricketers in the world.
While India, a country synonymous with cricket, is rich in talent, only a fortunate couple of dozen get to represent the country at the highest level. Although the Indian Premier League (IPL) has provided a platform for domestic talent, the balance between the constant influx of players and the limited opportunities at franchise and international levels can never truly be maintained.
In 2023, Major League Cricket (MLC) was launched in the United States, opening up opportunities for cricketers in a booming but relatively fresh market. Starting with just 19 matches in its inaugural season, MLC has expanded to 34 games in 2025. The USA team’s upsets over Pakistan and Bangladesh at the 2024 T20 World Cup further highlighted the quality of talent within the system.
One such talent is Aakarshit Gomel, who has represented Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. He made his debut in 2022 and was competing for an opening spot in the Mumbai set-up alongside the likes of Prithvi Shaw and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Struggling to find consistent opportunities in the cut-throat environment of Mumbai cricket, Gomel decided to relocate to America.
“After making my first-class debut for Mumbai, Covid hit in March 2020, and the Ranji Trophy didn’t happen the following season,” said the 32-year-old batter, who announced his retirement from Indian domestic cricket in 2023. “In 2022, I was back in the team and got opportunities again. The level of competition to get into the Mumbai side and retain your place is extremely high. I was competing with Prithvi Shaw and Yashasvi Jaiswal for the opening spot. Since MLC was coming up in 2023, I decided to switch and take on a new challenge in my cricketing life. Cricket is a global sport, and I want to do everything I can to help develop the game across different parts of America.”
Despite his exploits — including a fine 122 (240 balls) on debut against Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy — Gomel has found the American ecosystem vastly different. Speaking about the key differences between playing cricket in India and the USA, he said: “We play cricket throughout the year across the US, but the ecosystem is very different from India, especially in terms of facilities and the quality of coaching. At the moment, we don’t have enough turf wickets to train on. Ground development is underway, but it will take time. The availability of experienced coaches is another challenge. Currently, the US doesn’t have many coaches with deep, high-level cricketing experience.”
In his first year in the USA, Gomel was appointed assistant coach of an MLC franchise — the Seattle Orcas. He also plays a dual role with Dallas Xforia, representing and coaching the Minor League Cricket franchise. Apart from his franchise commitments, Gomel coaches several prominent names in American cricket, including Shubham Ranjane, Andries Gous and Ansh Bhoje, who is currently representing the USA U19 team at the U19 World Cup.
“There is a big influx of cricketers from different countries — not just India, but also South Africa, the West Indies, Afghanistan and Pakistan,” said Gomel. “It’s a diverse environment. At the U19 level, there is strong Indian-origin representation because of the large Indian immigrant community in the US. Many families have been settled here for a long time, and naturally, cricket is passed on to the next generation.”
The 32-year-old believes it is not competition that is driving Indian cricketers to relocate to the USA. “I don’t think competition is the issue, but the scarcity of opportunities definitely is,” he said. “Only a few players get the chance to play at the national and international level, while many lose valuable time waiting. Cricket has become such a global sport that players are now open to relocating to pursue their careers. At the end of the day, love for the game and following your passion come above everything else.”
Unmukt Chand, Jalaj Saxena and Amol Mazumdar are names that rarely received sustained opportunities at the highest level despite being domestic stalwarts. Sarfaraz Khan, meanwhile, finds himself out of the Indian Test side despite a mountain of runs. Their stories underline a harsh truth in Indian cricket: talent alone is never enough. Timing, circumstances, selection philosophy and team combinations all play decisive roles in shaping a cricketer’s career.
For many such players, the USA offers an opportunity marked by clarity and a chance to rebuild a life around cricket. As the sport continues to globalise and new markets invest in infrastructure and development, ambition is no longer confined by geography. While American cricket is still finding its feet, it is benefiting from this quiet migration. In turn, cricketers are being offered space to grow. And as players like Gomel carve out new identities in untested conditions, their journeys reflect a shifting geography of dreams.
