"Cricket is bigger than politics" - Dwayne Bravo's strong message to USA Cricket over Unmukt Chand's repeated snubs

Dwyane Bravo has urged the United States of America (USA) Cricket to give India's U19 World Cup-winning captain Unmukt Chand a chance in the national team. The white-ball legend emphasized that the batter's career should not be ruined due to politics.

Chand retired from Indian cricket and shifted base to the USA, hoping for a career in international cricket. However, he has been consistently ignored by the selectors and has yet to make his debut for the side.

The 32-year-old is currently plying his trade for Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) in the ongoing season of Major League Cricket (MLC 2025). Bravo, who is the head coach of the Los Angeles-based team, wrote in an Instagram story:

"This guy deserves to be involved in USA cricket team! Cricket is bigger than politics, let's do right for these players. Well done!

Screenshot of Dwayne Bravo's Instagram story.

It is worth mentioning that Dwayne Bravo's comments came after Unmukt Chand's stunning unbeaten 86-run knock off 58 deliveries in LAKR's MLC 2025 clash against Seattle Orcas on Sunday, June 22.

Chand has looked in impressive form this season. He is currently the leading run-getter of his team in the edition, chalking up 161 runs across four innings at a strike rate of 134.16.

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"I was not my best self for some time" - When Unmukt Chand opened up on not making it to the USA's 2024 T20 World Cup squad

Unmukt Chand's dream of playing the 2024 T20 World Cup was shattered after he was overlooked by the selectors. The batter revealed that he was shocked by his non-selection for the showpiece event.

He highlighted that he worked hard for three years to prepare for the ICC event. Here's what Chand said during a press conference last year (via Cricbuzz):

"That wasn't an ideal situation to be in. Because personally for me, this was what I had dreamed for the last three years. Obviously, it was a big shock. And it took me time to sort of come to terms with it. It's never easy as a player, having lost all those things back home in India, to having this one goal, which had kept me going for the last three years not happening. So it is difficult. I won't say which just happened. But it was difficult. I was not my best self for some time."

Prior to his retirement from Indian cricket, Unmukt Chand scored 300 runs in 21 Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. He was part of the Mumbai Indians' (MI) title-winning squad in 2015.