Livi Miller, Eza Ahmad

Anay Vohra, member of the cricket club and senior prepares to bat while the ball zooms towards him at cricket practice on Sept.16. The team was practicing for their upcoming match on Sept. 21 at Towne Meadow Elementary School. “My favorite part of playing cricket is the people and like surrounding myself with good people,” Vohra said. (Photos: Livi Miller and Eza Ahmad)

Seniors Mahesh Duvvuri and Varad Tanksale started the CHS cricket club to bring a piece of their culture to the school.

“Me and Varad have both been playing cricket since we were kids, and we really like it,” Duvvuri said. “We think it brings out a sense of culture to our lives a little bit, so we thought we’d bring it to the school to bring people together through it.”

In India, cricket is the most popular sport in the country. By forming a club at CHS, Duvvuri and Tanksale said they hoped to create a similar environment and connection locally. The team has already competed against schools like Zionsville, Fishers and Brebeuf, with interest in the sport growing across Central Indiana.

“Last year we played Zionsville, Fishers, and Brebeuf, and this year, those clubs have more people joining their clubs,” Tanksale said. “We have a lot of people coming back to our club and new people joining. HSE is also starting a club and trying to get involved with competition.”

While cricket has deep cultural roots abroad, Tanksale said the biggest challenge is introducing it to students who are unfamiliar with the sport.

“It’s hard to introduce people to the sport, because not everyone’s willing to give it a fair chance,” he said. “We just try to convince our friends to join, and then hopefully they tell their friends… it’s a process.”

Duvvuri said that part of starting the club was introducing the sport to students who may not have seen cricket before, and that interest has been encouraging

“Most of the people we’ve introduced the sport to really enjoy it,” he said. “We always try to get everyone involved, and the people who do usually like it and give us good feedback.”

Tanksale said the club also emphasizes teamwork and inclusion.

“We don’t really care about skill level right now. We just care about people learning the game,” Tanksale said. “Teamwork, leadership and collaborating with each other is a big part. Whether you’re really good or brand new, you’re going to get the same amount of playing time.”

Duvvuri said international sports like cricket play an important role in bridging cultures and keeping traditions alive in the U.S.

“If we can get more international sports, we can get more of the people who play American sports like football, basketball or soccer to expand their areas and broaden their perspective,” he said.

Looking ahead, Duvvuri and Tanksale said they hope cricket continues to grow in Indiana and eventually across the U.S.

“I do see a future where international sports like cricket are more mainstream, but it’s going to take a long time,” Tanksale said. “Maybe not 5 or 10 years, but definitely 10 to 15.”

Duvvuri agreed, saying that while traditional American sports have had centuries to grow, cricket has only recently started gaining attention.

“It’s not something you can expect to happen overnight,” he said. “But it’s definitely growing.”