Aditya Ashok is the new-kid-on-the block in New Zealand cricket. Before his debut in the forthcoming ODI series against India, his birth country, the 23-year-old Tamil Nadu cricketer is being hailed as the future of New Zealand spin-attack.
Ashoke was born in Vellore and brought up in Auckland. He got early training at the Chennai Super Kings Academy. Undoubtedly, he seems excited ahead of his debut against India. “I am very excited to potentially represent my country and also represent the people who have helped me along my journey,” Adithya commented on Thursday after New Zealand’s first training session ahead of Sunday’s ODI series opener against India at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium.
Significantly, Ashok is a fan of South Indian film star Rajinikanth. He has a tattoo on his right arm. A famous Rajinikanth dialogue, ‘En vazhi thani vazhi’(My way is a unique way) from the superstar’s film Padayappa.
Adithya said the phrase holds personal meaning from a conversation with his late grandfather. “We discussed values and morals at home while a Rajini film played in the background,” he recalled.
“That’s how it started. People ask, but it’s personal. That conversation meant much to me. My grandfather passed soon after, so it’s a lasting memory. I’m very grateful for that moment.”
As he prepares for his first taste of international cricket in India, Adithya carries with him not just ambition, but a journey shaped across cultures, continents, and deeply held personal values.
