Ish Sodhi

Born in Ludhiana, Punjab, Ish Sodhi moved to New Zealand at the age of four and rose through the domestic ranks with the guidance of former Kiwi spinner Dipak Patel. Under Patel’s mentorship, he developed into a classical leg-spinner, combining a sharp leg-break with a deceptive googly that made him a unique prospect in a pace-heavy New Zealand setup. Though his List A debut for New Zealand A in India was underwhelming, his raw talent stood out, earning him a place in the national squad for the 2013 tour of Bangladesh. He made his Test debut in Chittagong, showing flashes of promise.

As New Zealand leaned more into white-ball cricket and competition grew in the Test squad, Sodhi began to carve a niche for himself in T20 internationals. His breakthrough came during the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup, where his knack for breaking partnerships in the middle overs proved vital to New Zealand’s campaign. Over the years, he formed a trusted spin pairing with Mitchell Santner and became a regular feature in the Black Caps' T20I setup. By the 2021 T20 World Cup, Sodhi had established himself as a dependable match-winner, playing an important role in guiding New Zealand to the final. While he continued to shine in T20Is, his impact in ODIs remained sporadic, and he rarely featured in the longer formats.

Domestically, Ish was a consistent performer for Northern Districts before making a move to Canterbury ahead of the 2022–23 season in search of new challenges. In 2024, he earned a recall to New Zealand’s squad for the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. However, the campaign proved disappointing for the Black Caps, who exited in the group stage, with Sodhi playing only a limited role. Later that year, he was part of a historic Test series win in India, though his individual impact remained minimal. Sodhi missed out on selection for the 2025 Champions Trophy, having failed to make a compelling case in the 50-over format.