Indian cricketers Arundhati Reddy and Shree Charani reminisced on their paths to the national team before the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 gets underway on September 30.
They talked about what it means to represent India at the greatest level and the pride of donning the India shirt on the international scene, ranging from early aspirations influenced by their country’s World Cup heroes to the familial support that moulded their careers.
Arundhati Reddy, a fast bowler for India, thought back on her desire to compete in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup:
“To be honest, I was inspired to start playing cricket by India’s victory in the 2007 T20 World Cup, but the 2011 World Cup at home, with Sachin [Tendulkar] sir participating, and everything that transpired that year, truly made an impression on me.” I always had a childlike desire to play for India and help the nation win a World Cup. I am sincerely thankful to God for giving me the opportunity to compete in a 50-over World Cup at home. The support is crucial because there are two matches taking place in Vizag. “Hopefully, we’ll prevail,” she said to JioStar.
Regarding her development as a fast bowler:
“Being a fast bowler was never my goal. Being a wicketkeeper has always been my dream. Coach Ganesh Sir asked me to bowl on my first day at his academy, and I did it with ease. After a week, I informed my mother that I wanted to become a wicketkeeper instead of continuing to bowl. She talked to him, and he told her that I would be a medium-pacer if I continued at that academy, but I could find another one if I wanted to be a keeper. That was the start of my fast bowling career,” she remarked.
I was soon selected for Hyderabad’s under-19 and senior cricket teams. It is really important to me. I had many doubts about my future at one point in my career, and I thought I might never again don the India jersey. However, it felt truly unique when I returned and put the jersey on once more,” she continued.
When she decided to play cricket, India’s Shree Charani recalls the reaction of her family:
My father didn’t agree with my desire to play cricket for about a year, but my mother did. My father and sister need more time, but my mother and uncle helped me from the start. My mother was always sure that I would succeed in cricket. The clerk once enquired about the kit bag I was carrying while we visited a gold store in Kadapa. “She plays cricket and will play for India one day,” my mother retorted. The first person to believe in me was her. Everybody wants to play in a World Cup and represent India. I consider myself fortunate to have this chance, and I will do everything in my power to succeed for the team and India.
Regarding her switch from fast bowling to spin:
I’ve played cricket with my friends since I was a young youngster. My father put me to a badminton academy when I was about six years old. My PT sir encouraged me to play kho-kho and take part in sports after observing me run. I played cricket and that for two years. While cricket was not played professionally in my area, kho-kho and athletics were. I participated in district-level cricket in ninth grade, and by tenth grade, I begged my father to allow me to pursue cricket as a serious sport. After a year of persuasion, COVID-19 interrupted two critical years of my work,” she stated.
We played on turf in my hamlet, and a ball was deemed out if it strayed out of bounds. Although I was a medium-pacer at the time, I wasn’t very successful since batters hardly ever went out. I made the decision to become a spinner at that point. Batters found it difficult to handle my deliveries once I started delivering spin, therefore I started taking wickets regularly. That was the start of my spinning career,” she continued.
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