Born in Vellore, raised in Auckland, tipped as a future torchbearer of New Zealand’s spin assault, educated on the Chennai Tremendous Kings Academy, and sporting a Tamil tattoo impressed by a Rajinikanth traditional — Adithya Ashok is a examine in contrasts. Little surprise then that the leg-spinner is relishing his first tour of India with the Black Caps senior facet.
“I’m very excited to doubtlessly symbolize my nation and in addition symbolize the individuals who have helped me alongside my journey,” Adithya mentioned on Thursday after New Zealand’s first coaching session forward of Sunday’s ODI sequence opener in opposition to India on the Baroda Cricket Affiliation Stadium.
“I’m very excited to play in India as effectively. It’s an incredible alternative. You all the time hear from gamers who’ve been right here earlier than in regards to the ambiance and the love for the sport, so I’m actually trying ahead to it.”
Having already earned three limited-overs caps, Adithya is being groomed as a long-term successor to Ish Sodhi in New Zealand’s spin division. But, off the sphere, it’s the tattoo on his proper arm that always attracts consideration — the Tamil phrase ‘En vazhi thani vazhi’ (My approach is a novel approach), a well-known dialogue from the Rajinikanth movie Padayappa.
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Adithya revealed that the phrases maintain deep private significance, rooted in a dialog together with his late grandfather. “We had a really private dialog about values, morals, and issues that meant so much to him. We have been speaking at our household house, the tv was on, and that Rajini movie occurred to be enjoying within the background,” he recalled.
“That’s the place it got here from. Folks ask me about it, but it surely’s a really private factor. That dialog meant so much to me. My grandfather handed away quickly after, so it’s an eternal reminiscence of what we spoke about. I’m very grateful for that second.”
As he prepares for his first style of worldwide cricket in India, Adithya carries with him not simply ambition, however a journey formed throughout cultures, continents, and deeply held private values.
Printed on Jan 08, 2026