Indian-origin Jason Sangha becomes youngest NSW contracted cricketer

16-year-old Jason Sangha joins Josh Hazelwood and Jake Doran as the only players to have ever been contracted by Cricket NSW while still in High School.

Source: Facebook

Indian-origin cricketer Jason Sangha has become the youngest player in history to receive a NSW State Rookie Contract for 2016-17 season.

Currently 16-years and 233 days-old, Sangha experienced a meteoric rise through junior ranks last summer.

Starting the 2015-15 for the NSW under-15 Schoolboys team, he later picked a spot in the Cricket Australia Invitational teams for both the under-17 and under-19 National Championships.

Sangha also played three under-19 ODIs for Australia against New Zealand and Pakistan.

"It's an absolute privilege, not everybody gets to play for their country. Right now I'm not trying to think about contracts or anything, on the outside it is nice that people are saying nice things and writing about you, if I keep focused then hopefully good things will come."- Jason Sangha.

Before him, only Josh Hazlewood and Jake Doran were contracted by Cricket NSW while they were still in high school. Both were in year 12. Sangha is studying for his in year 11 at Hunter Sports High School, Newcastle.

Source: Facebook

Another Indian-origin player, Arjun Nair made his first-Class debut as a 17-year-old during Round Eight of last summer’s Sheffield Shield.

Nair, an off-spinner, has been given a full state contract for the 2016-17 season.

Cricket NSW Chief Executive Andrew Jones said the injection of youth into the NSW squad was exciting. He said he is delighted to be able to bring Sangha and Nair into the squad for this summer.