Who Is Abhishek Anand? Bihar-Born IIT Kanpur Graduate Who Plays Cricket For Japan

A Bihar-born cricketer with an IIT Kanpur background has become a talking point ahead of the historic India vs Japan T20I. Abhishek Anand, who studied Chemistry at IIT Kanpur before moving to Japan for work, has carved out an unusual path into international cricket.

Anand, 28, hails from Rohtas in Bihar. While studying at IIT Kanpur, cricket remained an important part of his life and he also captained the institute’s team. After completing his studies, however, he did not take the conventional route into professional cricket. Instead, a job opportunity took him to Japan.

Anand was selected for a job with Accenture Japan during his college placement process. According to his account, he initially had no plans to move abroad and wanted to continue his career and cricket in India.

He was reportedly given just two hours to make a decision. Before accepting the offer, Anand researched the cricketing opportunities in Japan and discovered that the country had a developing cricket setup.

He eventually moved to Japan and joined the Tokyo Falcons Cricket Club, balancing his professional career with cricket. His performances in club cricket over the next few years eventually brought him to the attention of the Japan Cricket Association.

Anand made his T20I debut for Japan against the Cook Islands on May 9, 2025, at the Sano International Cricket Ground.

He has since represented Japan in 18 T20Is, scoring 275 runs at a strike rate of 112.7. His highest T20I score is 55, which came against Samoa. He has also taken one wicket with his right-arm medium pace.

His recent performances include a 43-run innings against Thailand and a 37-run knock against Bahrain during Japan’s 2026 campaign.

Anand’s unusual journey has received additional attention after a video featuring the cricketer went viral ahead of the India-Japan match.

When asked about being a Bihari representing Japan, Anand’s response, “Bihari kahan nahi hai bhai”, caught the attention of Indian cricket fans and quickly became a talking point on social media.

Meet Abhishek Anand He is From Rohtas, Bihar Migrated to Japan🇯🇵 in search of Job Started playing Club cricket Got selected in Japanese National team Now, he will be playing against 🇮🇳 India in the Asian games for Japan

Despite the attention surrounding his story, Anand is not part of Japan’s announced 15-member squad for the September 22 T20I against India.

India and Japan will meet at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi, Japan, in a historic one-off men's T20I. The match is being played under the Suzuki Cup banner and is part of events marking 75 years of India-Japan diplomatic relations.

For Anand, however, the occasion remains a remarkable milestone in a journey that has taken him from Bihar to IIT Kanpur, then from a corporate job in Japan to international cricket.