Japan’s Abhishek Anand has a personal reason to look forward to the country’s first senior men’s international against India: he was born in Rohtas, Bihar, as are two of India’s squad members, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ishan Kishan.
The one-off match will be played at the Sano International Cricket Ground. Anand, 28, a right-handed batter and right-arm medium-pace bowler, made his T20I debut against the Cook Islands on May 9, 2025. He has played 18 T20Is for Japan, scoring 275 runs with a best of 55.
Anand on the Indian squad
Speaking to NDTV Sports, Anand said Sooryavanshi is currently everyone’s favourite but that the whole Indian team is equally good. He said he wants to meet his Bihari countrymen, Kishan and Sooryavanshi, that Japan are eager to host India, and that he hopes the bond between the two countries stays strong.
The two Indian players
Sooryavanshi, born on March 27, 2011, made his India T20I debut against England in July 2026 aged 15 years and 99 days, making him the youngest to play for India at senior men’s level. The left-hander also plays for Bihar and made his First-Class debut in January 2024.
Kishan is an experienced part of India’s T20 set-up and has captained Jharkhand in domestic cricket, including in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
An unusual route
Anand’s path to international cricket was not a typical one. He graduated from IIT Kanpur with a Chemistry degree in 2022 and had planned a corporate career, but his involvement in cricket in Japan led to national selection.
