Indian pacer Arundhati Reddy shared a heartfelt story about what sparked her love for cricket and her burning dream to lift the ICC Women’s World Cup trophy for India.
Ahead of Team India’s campaign in the ICC Women’s World Cup, which kicks off on September 30 against Sri Lanka in Guwahati, Arundhati opened up to JioStar. The fast bowler, who has played 11 ODIs for India and snagged 15 wickets, pointed to two big moments in cricket history that shaped her path. “The 2007 T20 World Cup win got me started in cricket,” she said. “But the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup at home, with Sachin Tendulkar leading the charge, really hit home for me. The kid in me has always dreamed of playing for India and winning a World Cup. Now, getting this shot at a 50-over World Cup on home soil feels like a blessing. With games in Vizag, fan support will mean everything. I hope we bring home the win.”
Arundhati’s road to becoming a key player in the Indian women’s cricket team wasn’t what she first imagined. She never set out to be a fast bowler—in fact, she wanted to be a wicketkeeper. But everything changed at Coach Ganesh’s academy. “On my first day, he had me bowl, and it just clicked,” she recalled. “A week later, I told my mom I wanted to switch to keeping. She talked to the coach, who said if I left, fine, but if I stayed, I’d become a medium-pacer. That’s how my fast bowling journey took off.” From there, she quickly rose through the ranks, earning spots in Hyderabad’s under-19 and senior teams.
Her international debut came in 2018, and she featured in the 2018 and 2020 T20 World Cups. But after 2021, injuries and tough competition from stars like Pooja Vastrakar and Shikha Pandey pushed her to the bench. “There were times I wondered if I’d ever wear the India jersey again,” Arundhati admitted. Her big break came in the 2024 Women Premier League (WPL) with Delhi Capitals. She grabbed nine wickets in eight matches at an average of 28.12 and an economy of 7.12, earning her spot back in the national side and her ODI debut last year.
Unfortunately, Arundhati picked up an injury during India’s first warm-up match against England in Bengaluru. It’s unclear if she’ll be fit for the rest of the tournament.
Team India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Uma Chetry, Renuka Singh Thakur, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud. Reserves: Tejal Hasabnis, Prema Rawat, Priya Mishra, Minnu Mani, Sayali Satghare.
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