Sano (Japan): Love for cricket and hope for the sport’s future in Japan took a Bihar-born IITian, Abhishek Anand, to the Land of the Rising Sun.
He was studying at college when a placement call from Accenture Japan came through. He was given a couple of hours to think it through and decide whether to accept the offer and come to Japan or to stay in India.
He indeed wanted to stay in India and was working on his cricket career, having made what he describes as “a very good environment for cricket” in college. However, Abhishek did some cricket research in Japan, hoped the sport would have a future in the neighbouring nation, and decided to go to Japan. He says that all he wants is to play cricket.
“So, the journey in Japan is quite unbelievable. I never thought that I would play in the Japan team,” Abhishek, who has played 18 T20Is for Japan, told IANS.
“We were getting placements in our college. So, Japan companies came to our college. We never thought that we would go for an abroad placement. So, I just applied and tried to get in touch about an interview to see what the interview abroad was like. So, I sat for the interview with Accenture Japan.
“And then I got selected for Accenture Japan. After that, I was given 2 hours to decide whether to accept this offer. So, I was thinking that I didn’t have any plans to go abroad. I wanted to stay in India and continue my passion for cricket as well as my job. So, during those 2 hours, I thought a lot about what to do, whether I should go to Japan or not.
“Then, I thought of searching for some cricket facts in Japan. So, fortunately, that year the Japanese team qualified for the East Asia-Pacific World Cup qualifier. I felt that there was hope for cricket in Japan as well. So, after seeing all this news, I thought about going to Japan to explore the opportunity there. After 2 hours of research, I accepted the offer and came to Japan,” he added.
However, upon arriving in Japan, he began searching for clubs and performed so well that he earned a call-up to the national team. “As soon as I came to Japan, I started reaching out to clubs. Then, I came here and joined Tokyo Falcon Cricket Club.
“Then, I started playing for the Tokyo Falcon Cricket Club, and my journey in Japan started from there. Then, I continued to play well for 3 consecutive years. JCA (Japan Cricket Association) had an eye on me and how I was performing year by year. So, they reached out to me in the 3rd year and told me that my performance was good. So, they told me, ‘We want you to be part of our national team. So, keep practising hard and doing your best.’
“So, I continued to play well. Then, in 2025, I was selected for the national team,” he highlighted.
Abhishek has lived in Patna since childhood, but he is originally from Rohtas. He highlighted that his family wanted him to have a backup job. “The first priority for them is that I have a backup job, and that’s what I am doing as well. And (for them) secondary is cricket. But for me, it’s the opposite – Primary is cricket, and secondary is job. But anyway, if I am able to manage both jobs and cricket, they are happy with that. So, no issue,” he said.
Abhishek is not in the squad for the historic one-off T20I against India, which will be played on Tuesday here at the Sano International Cricket Ground and will mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations; however, he says he would be around the team and would be cheering for both teams.
“See, I am excited about that match. Still, I am not in the squad, but I will be around the team, supporting the team. If I am from India, I will support India and Japan. Basically, it should be a good match between Japan and India. I will be supporting the game of cricket,” he said.
Abhishek has played 18 T20Is since making his debut in 2025. He has a fifty to his name and occasionally bowls medium pace. Regarding his future, he says he will seek to balance cricket and his job in Japan.
“I will continue my cricket career along with my job and see if I can grow further in cricket; then we will see what the future holds. But as usual, I will be maintaining both my job and cricket at the same time,” he said.
(IANS)
