Historic Baseball League In South Asia Features Indian American Talent

India-West Staff Reporter

LOS ANGELES, CA – Baseball is making its professional debut in South Asia, and Indian and Indian-American athletes are at the forefront. The Mumbai Cobras, the first professional baseball team in India, have signed players—including three Indian Americans—to compete in the inaugural season of Baseball United, the first league to focus on the Middle East and South Asia.

The three Indian American professionals bring international experience to the roster. Karan Patel, 28, from Houston, Texas, was the first player of Indian descent ever drafted by a Major League Baseball team and became the Cobras’ first overall draft pick. Aaron Singh, 28, a California native, was an All-American in college, and Raul Shah, 31, from the UK, previously played for the Great Britain National Team.

The team blends homegrown talent with Indian American experience. Pitchers Saurabh Gaikwad, Akshay More, and Tushar Lalwani are products of India’s grassroots baseball programs. Gaikwad, 23, hails from a farming family in Maharashtra. More, 21, was named “Best Pitcher” in the All India Inter University Baseball Championship in 2023 and 2025, while Lalwani, 22, transitioned from cricket to baseball six years ago.

The Cobras will face the Karachi Monarchs on November 14 in Dubai, marking the first time a professional baseball league has played in the region. The league’s four founding franchises also include the Arabia Wolves and the Mid East Falcons. The season will conclude with the best-of-three United Series championship from December 12–14.

Baseball United Chairman and CEO Kash Shaikh called the moment “historic” for sports in India. “While cricket is king, baseball is the country’s young prince,” Shaikh said, highlighting the potential for Indian players to emerge as new sports heroes in the region.