Dipak Patel celebrates after taking a wicket against Pakistan in Napier 1992. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Narotam "Tom" Puna etched his name in cricket history when he took the field for New Zealand in 1966, becoming the first player of Indian heritage to represent the nation in the sport.
Born in Gujarat, India, Puna and his family relocated to New Zealand during his childhood. Pune participated in three test matches, taking four wickets against a touring English team.
Puna started his cricket journey in New Zealand with Northern Districts in 1956 as a middle-order batsman. However, he developed his bowling skills and transformed into a proficient off-spinner.
By the time he retired from domestic cricket in 1969, he had achieved the distinction of being the top wicket-taker for Northern Districts, with an impressive tally of 223 wickets.
It would be 21 years before the next Indian player, Dipak Patel, graced the New Zealand cricket scene in 1987.
"It was my ultimate goal," says Patel, director of cricket at Auckland's Kings College.
Patel is speaking on the eve of the 2023 Cricket World Cup, which kicks off in India later this evening when the Black Caps take on defending champions England.
Patel made his international debut against a formidable West Indies side in 1987 and, for the next decade, remained a stalwart in the national team. Patel's career included three World Cup appearances, with a notable role as an opening bowler during the 1992 World Cup, a strategy that yielded impressive results.
"1992 was very special," he says. "We were playing at home and doing well in front of our friends and family."
In total, Patel represented New Zealand in 37 test matches and 75 one-day internationals, leaving an enduring mark on the Black Caps.
Bhikhu Bhana has been a keen cricketer since childhood. Photo: Supplied
'They had to be better than the rest'
Bhikhu Bhana's enduring involvement with the Indian sports community spans many years, making him a prominent figure within its ranks.
"I've been an active part of the New Zealand Central Association and the Indian Sports Association for quite some time, and I've always held a deep passion for sports," Bhana says.
Bhana himself was an avid cricket and hockey player during his university days.
He acknowledged that the journey for Indian players in New Zealand hasn't always been a smooth one.
"They had to be better than the rest," he says.
Patel agrees.
"It's not easy as it sounds," he says.
Patel says it is difficult for a foreign player to play for his adopted country.
"You have to do a lot more than the homebred players to be accepted into the dressing room," he says.
However, Barrington Rowland, a seasoned premier player and coach, believes that the landscape has evolved significantly over the years.
Back in the day, he had the privilege of sharing the field with cricket legends such as Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Venkatesh Prasad and Javagal Srinath during his tenure with Karnataka in India.
"I've heard a lot of positive stories from the players that I've coached," he says.
Rowland has coached notable Black Cap talents such as Ajaz Patel, Jeet Raval and Adithya Ashok, among others.
From Rowland's perspective, today's players enjoy an abundance of opportunities that surpass what was available in the past.
"Opportunities are undeniably more abundant and transparent," Rowland says.
Bhana, like many within the Indian community, is proud to see an increasing number of Indian players don the Black Caps jersey.
"In the early days of Indian migration to New Zealand, our community members were primarily focused on establishing their careers or businesses," he says. "This left them with limited time, making cricket less accessible compared to sports such as hockey."
These days, however, things have changed.
"Nowadays, people have more leisure time, and cricket has opened up more opportunities," he says.
Bhana is optimistic that Indian players will continue to be selected for the Black Caps.
The emergence of Jeetan Patel marked another significant milestone, as he became the first Indian-origin player to play in all three cricket formats for New Zealand, including Twenty20 internationals.
His international journey commenced in 2005 against Zimbabwe and culminated with his retirement from international cricket in 2017. Patel played 24 test matches, 43 ODIs and 11 T20s for the Black Caps.
Today, Patel is England's spin bowling coach.
Ajaz Patel (left), Jeet Raval (bottom right) and Jeetan Patel (top right). Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Rising stars
In 2011, Ronnie Hira earned his place in the Black Caps T20 squad, debuting as a left-arm spinner against Zimbabwe and nabbing a wicket. Hira's international career spanned 15 T20s, during which he showcased his bowling prowess by claiming 15 wickets.
In 2012, Tarun Nethula briefly donned the New Zealand jersey as a leg-spinner, adding another chapter to the rich history of Indian-origin cricketers representing the nation.
Ish Sodhi - born in Ludhiana, India, but raised in Auckland - embarked on his cricketing journey in South Auckland. His international debut for New Zealand in 2013 marked the beginning of what continues to be a stellar career.
Sodhi has featured in 19 test matches, 49 ODIs and an impressive 102 T20s for the country.
In 2018, he achieved the distinction of being ranked as the number one T20 bowler in the world, while also being the fourth-leading wicket-taker in T20s globally.
Currently, Sodhi is gearing up to represent the Black Caps in the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India.
Jeet Raval, selected by the national selectors in 2016, made a notable debut in a test match against Pakistan.
Born in Ahmedabad, India, Raval had attended the same school as India wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel before his family moved to New Zealand.
He had come through the New Zealand Under-19 team before progressing to senior cricket.
Raval's contributions as an opening batsman yielded a half-century that played a pivotal role in securing victory against Pakistan. In total, he played 24 matches for the Black Caps and amassed 1143 runs.
Ish Sodhi (left) and Rachin Ravindra (right) are gearing up for the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Ajaz Patel's unique trajectory saw him transition from being a fast bowler in his early years to becoming a left-arm spinner.
In 2018, at the age of 30, Ajaz followed in the footsteps of his coach, Dipak Patel, by opening the bowling for New Zealand in a T20 against Pakistan.
His rise to international cricket was anchored in consistent success at the domestic level, earning him the title of the highest wicket-taker in first-class cricket for three consecutive years.
Having emigrated from Mumbai with his family in 1996, he became the eighth Indian-origin cricketer to represent New Zealand.
Rachin Ravindra was born in Wellington. Ravindra's cricketing journey included participation in New Zealand's squads for the 2016 and 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cups.
He made his test debut in 2021 against England and secured a spot in the T20 squad for New Zealand's tour of Bangladesh.
His ODI debut came in 2023 against Sri Lanka, marking a promising start to his international career.
Ravindra has been selected to represent New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup.
The latest addition to this lineage is 20-year-old Adithya Ashok.
Ashok's cricket journey began in the club scene and culminated in his inclusion in the New Zealand Under-19 World Cup squad in 2020.
Fast forward to 2023, Ashok made his debut for the Black Caps in a T20 match against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai, continuing the legacy of Indian-heritage players making important contributions to the Black Caps.