Bihar-born, IIT Kanpur-educated Abhishek Anand takes his cricketing passion to Japan

Japan cricketer Abhishek Anand (Image: @abhishekanand6527/Instagram)

From IIT Kanpur to Japan’s national cricket team, Abhishek Anand’s journey has taken an unexpected turn and now, a viral video has put the Bihar-born cricketer in the spotlight ahead of Japan’s historic T20I against India.The 28-year-old, who hails from Bihar’s Rohtas district, moved to Japan for employment after completing his Chemistry degree at IIT Kanpur. He continued pursuing cricket alongside his professional career, eventually earning a place in Japan’s national team.However, despite the buzz surrounding his story, Abhishek’s participation in the September 22 fixture is not confirmed. Japan have announced a 15-member squad for the match, and Abhishek is not among the selected players.

From IIT Kanpur to Japan’s cricket circuit

During his college years in IIT Kanpur, he remained connected to cricket and captained the institute’s team. After graduating, he relocated to Tokyo for work. Rather than giving up the sport, he began playing club cricket in Japan, balancing his professional commitments with his passion for the game.His performances in the local cricket circuit helped him earn a call-up to Japan’s national setup. Abhishek made his T20I debut against the Cook Islands on May 9, 2025.

He has since played 18 T20Is, scoring 275 runs, including a highest score of 55, and taking one wicket, according to figures cited in recent reports.

‘Bihari Kahan Nahi Hai Bhai’: Abhishek’s video goes viral

Abhishek’s journey has attracted attention on social media ahead of the India-Japan fixture, with a video fea turing the cricketer going viral. In the clip, he is asked about being a Bihari representing Japan. His response and a message directed at the Indian team have sparked interest among cricket fans, with the phrase “Bihari kahan nahi hai bhai” drawing particular attention.

India vs Japan T20I: Match details

India and Japan are scheduled to meet in a historic one-off men’s T20I on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi, Japan. The match will be the first men’s international cricket meeting between the two countries and is being held under the Suzuki Cup banner to commemorate 75 years of India-Japan diplomatic relations. It will also serve as preparation for the Asian Games, where the cricket competition begins two days later.

Japan squad for India T20I: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (captain), Charlie Hara-Hinze, Benjamin Ito-Davis, Alester Kadowaki-Fleming, Kohei Kubota, Jake Kusuda-Nairn, Wataru Miyauchi, Reo Sakurano-Thomas, Alex Shirai-Patmore, Shoma Sugaya-Slater, Declan Suzuki-McComb, Tsuyoshi Takada, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniyama, Lachlan Yamamoto-LakeIndia squad for Japan T20I: Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (VC), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yash Thakur, Vipraj Nigam.