All-rounder Nikhil Chaudhary, playing for Tasmanian Tigers in the Sheffield Shield, created history on Monday, becoming the first Indian to score a hundred in the Australian first-class tournament this century.
Chaudhary slammed 163 runs at Sydney's Cricket Central, notching up his maiden first-class ton as the Tigers declared at a mammoth 623-8 on Day 3 against New South Wales.
It was their second-highest Shield score as apart from Chaudhary, Caleb Jewell and Tim Ward also reached the three-digit mark.
Chaudhary's 184-ball blistering knock contained five sixes and he picked international Tanveer Sangha for special treatment, bringing up his 150 by carting the leg-spinner for a maximum.
Born in Delhi, Chaudhary, 29, had represented Punjab in first-class cricket before he shifted to Australia in 2020.
A spin-bowling allrounder, he was spotted by Tasmania's assistant coach James Hopes, who recommended him to Hobart for the BBL two summers ago, according to cricket.com.au.
Having moved to Tasmania last summer, Chaudhary debuted for them in the one-day cup this season.
Among the other Indian-origin players who have played in the Sheffield Shield includes all-rounder Rusi Surti, who has scored a century besides taking a hat-trick for Queensland in the 1970s.
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