As Australia hosts the Ashes this summer, with the Brisbane test kicking off today, a new tool developed by researchers at Monash University and the University of Warwick is offering practical strategies to help multicultural cricket teams thrive by addressing inclusivity and communication barriers in one of the country's most culturally diverse sports.
Cricket Australia's Multicultural Action Plan notes that 67 per cent of South Asian survey respondents felt it was at least 'moderately challenging' to find and join a cricket club in Australia.1 The Scanlon Foundation - dedicated to strengthening social cohesion in Australia - noted that in 2022-2023 the percentage of registered community cricket, Woolworths Cricket Blast juniors, and Australian pathway team players who identified as South Asian varied from 16 to 18 percent. Yet they accounted for only 4.2 per cent of State and Territory players.2
The project was spearheaded by Dr Lucas Santos from Monash University and Associate Professor Kieran File from the University of Warwick, who were funded under the Monash Warwick Alliance's remit to harness the strengths of both institutions to tackle problems across societies, technology and sustainability.
Dr Santos and Associate Professor File explored how everyday behaviours and interactions in culturally diverse teams shape group dynamics. Their analysis has resulted in a new resource published by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB): How can multicultural cricket teams thrive? Practical strategies for players, team leaders, parents and cricket administrators. It serves as an evidence-based toolkit to help players, coaches, parents and administrators foster belonging and avoid exclusion.
Dr Santos said the research was driven by a need to better understand how cultural differences affect communication and cohesion in cricket teams, particularly in grassroots and junior settings, and in teams with South Asian migrant players.
"Cricket is a sport that brings together people from vastly different backgrounds, but that diversity doesn't automatically translate into inclusion," Dr Santos said.
"We found that small shifts in how teams communicate can have a big impact on how players feel, perform and connect. This includes direct communication seen in everyday interactions, through to more nebulous but important things like leadership style."
Associate Professor File said the project was designed to be immediately useful to the cricket community, with strategies that can be applied across club, school and representative levels.
"We worked closely with players, coaches and administrators to understand the real-world challenges they face," Associate Professor File said.
"The ECB resource is grounded in those insights. It's not just theory, it's a toolkit for enacting change."
Cricket Australia has launched several initiatives to build inclusivity, including the Women and Girls Action Plan for Australian Cricket, Multicultural Action Plan, the Reconciliation Action Plan, guidelines for the inclusion of Transgender and Gender Diverse people, and this year, a Disability Inclusion Resource Guide.
Community clubs have also embraced change, with programs like Harmony in Cricket in Victoria aiming to build inclusive environments.
Prominent advocates such as Usman Khawaja — the first Muslim and first Pakistani-born player to represent Australia in Test cricket — have also spoken out about the need for greater cultural understanding and support. Khawaja has publicly shared his experiences of racism and exclusion, and continues to champion diversity in the sport.
Dr Santos said the Monash-Warwick research complements these efforts by focusing on the everyday interactions that shape team culture.
"Having an inclusivity policy is great, but it needs to be translated into simple actions that can be undertaken in dressing rooms, on fields and in team meetings" he said.
"The simple strategies we've developed help teams build trust and create environments where everyone feels they belong."
The new resource includes practical guidance for:
Building cohesion in culturally diverse teams.
Supporting players from different backgrounds to feel valued and heard.
Helping coaches and captains adapt their communication and leadership approaches.
Engaging parents and families in positive ways.
Creating inclusive environments at club and organisational levels.
The researchers hope the resource will be adopted by cricket organisations in Australia, especially as the Ashes series draws attention to the sport's cultural significance.
"Sport has the power to unite people, but only if everyone feels they belong," Associate Professor File said.
"We want to help cricket live up to that promise."
The Monash Warwick Alliance is a strategic partnership between Monash University and the University of Warwick, supporting collaborative research that addresses global challenges. This project was supported by the Alliance's Seed Fund and involved researchers from both institutions working across disciplines.
