Vinay Iyer’s cricket journey has taken him from the early-morning maidans of Mumbai to the dugout of Japan’s national women’s team, where he found himself preparing to coach against India at the 2026 Asian Games.
The 41-year-old former Mumbai club cricketer was set to face a unique challenge in Aichi-Nagoya, with Japan drawn against India in the women’s cricket quarter-final. For Iyer, the occasion carried a strong personal connection because his own cricketing journey began in Mumbai and Thane.
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As a young player, Iyer would leave home on a 5.15am bus, travel to Thane railway station and then take a train into Mumbai to reach the Police Gymkhana at Charni Road by 7.15am for practice. Cricket was followed by college and, later, work. At one stage, he was balancing practice in Charni Road, an office in Andheri and a home in Thane.
Those demanding routines eventually became part of the foundation for an unexpected international career.
Iyer grew up playing at Thane’s Central Maidan and later entered Mumbai’s competitive club cricket system. He played for Sundar Cricket Club in the Kanga League and captained his college side to an inter-collegiate championship. Former India cricketer Ashok Mankad was among the coaches who encouraged him to pursue higher-level cricket.
A possible route into state cricket did not materialise, however, and Iyer eventually chose employment. He joined diamond trading company Rosy Blue, which also had a cricket team playing in the Times Shield. That decision took him away from the possibility of a professional playing career but ultimately opened the door to Japan.
Iyer first travelled to Japan for work in 2009 and moved there permanently in 2013. Once he discovered the growing cricket community in the country, he returned to the sport. He joined Tokyo club Max CC and quickly established himself, topping the league’s run charts and earning Player of the Year recognition.
When Japan’s eligibility rules prevented foreign players from entering the national setup, Iyer turned towards developing the game himself. He formed the Kawasaki Knight Riders and became involved in building youth teams. Coaching age-group players eventually became a natural progression from his playing career.
After the Covid-19 period, Iyer worked with Japan’s Under-16 and Under-19 programmes before moving into the national coaching structure. In 2025, he was appointed head coach of Japan’s women’s team.
The job has required him to work within a very different cricketing environment from Mumbai. Japan has fewer facilities and fewer opportunities for regular camps, with players often balancing cricket alongside other commitments. Iyer has continued working his regular job in Tokyo while monitoring players remotely and providing feedback on their training.
His connection with Indian cricket also remains vivid. During an Under-19 zonal match at the Wankhede Stadium, Iyer had been on the field against young Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma. Years later, his role had completely changed.
Instead of trying to break into Indian cricket, he was preparing Japanese players to face some of India’s biggest names.
For Iyer, the journey from a 5.15am bus ride in Thane to coaching Japan against India represented a remarkable full circle. His career may not have followed the path he once imagined, but cricket remained a constant — carrying him from Mumbai’s maidans to an Asian Games dugout in Japan.
