Vadodara: The Wadia family had already found a place in the Guinness World Records. Now, it is knocking on the doors of Australian cricket. City-born Jerrssis Wadia has earned a spot in Cricket Australia’s squad for next month’s three-day match against Bangladesh in Darwin, adding another chapter to a family story built on cricket.“Representing the Australian team was always a dream for me. It’s a great opportunity and I will make the most of it,” said an elated Wadia. A fearless big-hitter with a reputation for clearing boundaries at will, 24-year-old Wadia represented Baroda at the under-12, under-14 and under-16 levels before being dropped from the team in 2017. Instead of giving up, he packed his bags for Australia in 2019 and settled in Adelaide where he began playing for local clubs.The Covid pandemic disrupted cricket across the globe but Jerrssis continued to impress in local cricket with fearless strokeplay and consistent performances. His ability to dominate attacks soon caught the attention of selectors, paving the way to the Big Bash League (BBL) and now, the Australian national team. Wadia said he practised quite hard before getting a proper break in Australia.Cricket runs deep in the Wadia bloodline. Jerrssis’ grandfather Neville Wadia entered the Guinness World Records in 2009, after becoming the oldest man to score a century in tennis-ball cricket at the age of 63 on Sitabaug Ground in the city. “He was a respected cricketer who played in the Times Shield and Zaveri League. Jerrssis got his cricketing genes from him,” said uncle Russy Wadia, who raised the youngster in Vadodara while his father Dillzan lived in Mumbai.The family shares a close bond with Hardik and Krunal Pandya since their childhood and that too helped shape Jerrssis’ cricketing journey. “Hardik called up today to congratulate us on Jerrssis’ selection,” added Russy.
