Aditya Thyagarajan

One of the few California-based players to represent USA, Aditya Thyagarajan is a legspinning allrounder whose strong performances for the Hollywood Cricket Club - the team he captained to their first title since 1997 in 2009 - in the SCCA league led to his call-up for the national side in 2008. Thyagarajan grew up in Nagpur and played age-group cricket for Karnataka from the mid to late-90s, but then moved to California in the United States where he continued to take part in club cricket, playing his first game for Hollywood CC in 2001. Thyagarajan's first big tournament for USA was the World Cricket League Division 5 tournament in Jersey in May, 2008 and he made his List A debut against Barbados in November of that year. He made 42, easily USA's top score, in that game against an attack that included Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore and Tino Best, but struggled to string together consistent performances until a frank conversation with Clayton Lambert, USA's coach, led to a major step up in his approach to fitness, fielding, and mental strength. His increased dedication soon bore fruit, and Thyagarajan was an important member of the side that won the WCL Americas Region Division One tournament in 2008, his match-winning unbeaten 84 against defending champions Canada being the highlight. Thyagarajan scored an unbeaten 72 on his Twenty20 debut for USA, rescuing his team from the depths of 25 for 6 against Ireland at the World Twenty20 Qualifiers in Dubai in February 2010. USA still lost that game heavily, but the national side will look to players like Thyagarajan to continue their development as they push for a place at the 2015 World Cup.
Liam Brickhill