Jamal Mohammed is committed to not repeating what he calls the "mistakes" of previous migrants to Australia in their struggle to build a new life.

"They were busy earning dollars, but they were totally distracted from their kids' development," he says.

"If we are not engaging the kids, if you are not engaging the youth, there is a possibility of them getting into extremism."

For Jamal, the antidote lies at the local cricket club in Melbourne's outer west.

"We are worried about extremism," he says.

"It's easy for them to get into. You can't control social media. If you don't engage them in a sporting or any activity, they have that spare time to get distracted and go to that side."

And through the creation of a new all-girls cricket team, both he and his 14-year-old daughter Mairaj have found another surprising benefit — a link to an Australian identity.

'My girl is not for this'

To Australians from a non-Muslim background, Jamal's fear of kids being lured into religious extremism might sound jarring — even hard to believe.

But he's deadly serious. In recent weeks, the problem has been brought into even sharper focus with the plight of Islamic State widows and children stranded in Syria.

Zeenath Banu, 11, is excited to be playing cricket after watching it on TV for years. ( ABC News: Dylan Anderson )

Jacinta Carroll, a counter-terrorism expert at the Australian National University's National Security College, says it's a genuine concern in Australian Muslim communities.

"It's their kids who are targeted online to join groups like Islamic State," she says.

"While the average parent might be worried their kids are up all night playing violent video games, or dabbling in drugs and drinking too much, Muslim communities have that extra fear."

As Mairaj was approaching her teenage years, Jamal began to think about setting up a girls' junior team at the Truganina Cricket Club, where he and his friends play.

But at first, he had to push back against resistance from other parents in his community.

"When we started this girls' cricket, people told us, 'No. My girl is not for this,'" he says.

"There is a perception in the community for girls that at 10 or 12, no more education for them, sit at home, get married. That's it.

"Our clear message to them was: 'We are Australians. You have moved to this country, you accepted the values, you took an oath'.

"So be Australian in a real way, stopping any girl from participating is a 'back home' mentality. That has to change."

Recent migrants feel least Australian, survey finds

On Monday, the team played its first home game of the new season.

To celebrate, there was an Indian feast, and a line of proud parents on the boundary — including Jamal's wife, Asra, who coaches the girls.

For her, this team is about giving her daughter and her friends a sense of belonging to the country they were born in.

"We are migrants, but our kids are Australian," she says.

"They need to connect to the wider community. Cricket is a very good medium for them to do that — and for the wider community to connect to us."

A variety of hot dishes were prepared to bring in a fresh season for the team. ( ABC News: Dylan Anderson )

Indian migration to Australia is surging.

Last year, India leapfrogged New Zealand into third place on the list of source countries, behind China and England. India is predicted to overtake China into second place by 2031.

In Melbourne, migrants like Jamal and Asra landed in the outer-western suburbs like Tarneit and Truganina.

Ms Carroll says having those connections to broader society is crucial for the sons and daughters of new migrants — particularly those from Muslim backgrounds.

"The propaganda from extremist groups aimed at these kids is not actually about violence. It's about identity, about who they feel they are. And it's very effective," she says.

Jamal says the club organisers argued sports teams are an essential part of Australian identity. ( ABC News: Dylan Anderson )

The ABC's Australia Talks National Survey found non-white Australians ranked themselves lower on a scale of how Australian they feel than white Australians.

Overall, Australians gave themselves 8 out of 10 on how Australian they feel, whereas non-white Australians ranked themselves a 7.3 and recent migrants gave themselves 6.5.

As well as feeling less Australian, non-white Australians thought others would perceive them as being less Australian.

When asked how Australian others would rank them out of 10, non-white Australians gave themselves a 6.2 and recent immigrants gave themselves a 5.4.

This is despite the fact Australians said being white and being born here were the least important attributes to being Australian.

'Times have changed' for girls and sport

Ismail Mohammed, watching his daughter Zeenath play her first season with the Truganina team, admits he feels less Australian than his kids, who were born here.

Not that he minds.

Ismail Mohammed says he had to overcome cultural barriers before Zeenath started playing for the team. ( ABC News: Dylan Anderson )

"I still feel there is a lot of cultural difference for me," he says.

"But for my kids, when I look at them, I'm like — these guys are already Aussies. So there's no problem for them."

Zeenath has been watching cricket on TV since she was small.

Her favourite players are Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja, "Because he's Muslim", she says. "It relates to me.

"It feels great to be Australian. Even though I have a Muslim background, I still live in a Western country.

"I think everyone should have their opportunities. Everyone should be free to do what they want."

And Zeenath desperately wanted to play cricket. But her mum — from a strict Islamic family — wasn't keen on the idea at first.

"She was a bit concerned, saying, 'What are our family back home going to think?'" Ismail says.

"I said, 'Well, times have changed'."

Parents of the girls hope the team sport will help their children connect to their Australian communities. ( ABC News: Dylan Anderson )

Ismail speaks with a light Indian accent, and still laughs when he hears his daughters speaking in an Australian drawl.

For Ismail, Jamal, and the other parents here, watching their girls take the cricket field is a symbol of everything they came to Australia for — and the hope they have for their children.

"You're in such a great place, with a lot of opportunities," Ismail says.

"It's up to you if you want to grab it. Go for your life. Simple as that."

The Australia Talks National Survey asked 54,000 Australians about their lives and what keeps them up at night. Use our interactive tool to see the results and how their answers compare with yours.

Then, tune in at 8.30pm on November 18, as the ABC hosts a live TV event with some of Australia's best-loved celebrities exploring the key findings of the Australia Talks National Survey.