Jerrssis Wadia continues to set the Big Bash League alight with his stunning performances. Days after he produced a breathtaking show with the bat in only his second match of BBL career when he struck three sixes and a four off successive deliveries, Wadia came close to creating history for Adelaide Strikers when he nearly took a hat-trick off the first three deliveries against Melbourne Renegades.
Bowling the first over of the contest at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday, Wadia, a left-arm spinner, had Renegades opener Tim Seifert (0) caught behind with the very first delivery of the match and then accepted a simple return catch from new batter Jake Fraser-McGurk (0) to leave himself on the brink of a hat-trick.
However, the next batter Mohammad Rizwan survived by driving the hat-trick ball to covers.
Wadia's stunning start to the BBL match below:
Who Is Jerrssis Wadia?
Wadia is an India-born all-rounder who moved to Australia just four years back to continue his playing career. The 24-year-old first came into the limelight when he smashed 22 runs in an over to nearly pull off an unlikely win for the Strikers after walking in to bat when his team needed 60 off 35 deliveries against Brisbane Heat at The Gabba. The youngster scored 34 off 16 but Strikers suffered a close seven-run defeat.
Born in Vadodara, Wadia played age-group cricket (U-16 and U-19) for Baroda Cricket Association. However, with his playing career suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic, the teenager decided to shift base to Adelaide despite his parents' wishes, reports timesofindia.com.
Wadia was noticed by former Australia Test captain and current Strikers coach Tim Paine during a T10 tournament in Melbourne.
"I met Paine in Melbourne earlier this year. He told me that I have something in me to play at the next level. That gave me the drive to push harder and break that door. Paine was the guy who made me feel like I belong at this level," Wadia told the publication.
Wadia's Pandya Connection
Wadia's mother used to give tuition to star all-rounder Hardik Pandya, and he even stayed at their house in Mumbai when he had just become part of the Indian cricket team.
Hardik's late father Himanshu was close friends with Wadia's father and grandfather.
16 years ago, Wadia's grandfather Neville became the oldest player in history to score a century in minor cricket which is a Guinness world record.
Wadia, who is a Mumbai Indians fan, now aspires to play for Australia one day.
"The goal is to play for Australia, not just one game, but a long and sustainable career in all three formats," he said.