Ty Nedungadi stands in the uniform he normally wears to play cricket. Cricket is a sport that has a very personal connection to him- while not commonly played in America, it is very popular in India, where his family comes from.
Crazy for cricket
Playing cricket is an exhilarating and pressured activity for him. When up to bat, Nedungadi focuses on trying to hit the ball, feeling the worry of letting his team down drive him and the thrill of impact when his bat makes contact with the ball.
“I feel anxious because it’s like ‘What if I get out? What if I let my team down?’ and I just don’t want to fail a lot, even though I just started, I don’t want to be out a lot,” said Nedungadi. “I feel at the same time I feel really happy if I hit it, because I’m like ‘Wow, I really hit it? I’m really running? I’m winning my team points? I’m actually winning?’ It’s so exhilarating, and it’s so much fun just trying to play it.”
Nedungadi got into the sport as his parents’ suggestion, as a way to connect more to the culture they come from. Nedungadi feels more connected to his family in India, and playing in the league has allowed him to make many more new friends.
“In my country, in India, it’s a really huge sport, and we are almost the best at it in the world,” said Nedungadi. “Plus, all of my relatives have played it, and some have played it nationally. I love that I’m playing with a lot of my friends, and how we have a fun time playing it.”
In addition to exploring his culture, Nedungadi has also discovered a love of athletics. Because of his experience playing cricket, he has become more open to enjoying other sports.
“When I first started playing cricket, I didn’t know how to play at all,” said Nedungadi. “I was so confused how to play it, and learning how to play it has been the most difficult part for me because I wasn’t really a sport guy. When I started playing cricket, and I played it competitively, it changed my whole outlook on sports. I am a very sporty guy now.”
Nedungadi feels that though the sport is gaining more and more popularity in America, it would be eye opening for it to become even more widely played, with more people enjoying it and learning about his culture.
“You don’t see it anywhere in the US, but now it’s starting to become more popular, and I think that’s amazing,” said Nedungadi. “More people are learning about how different cultures play it, and it’s become a worldwide sport all people can enjoy. If people play it, they learn a lot more about the world around them.”