New Delhi, May 4: Left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma considers wearing the Indian jersey and securing a spot in the senior team after winning the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup as the realization of a long-held dream.
The 20-year-old spinner believes that in the high-pressure environment of international cricket, character and humility are just as important as on-field performance.
To date, Vaishnavi has played five T20 Internationals for India, taking five wickets at an average of 23.80 and an economy rate of 6.26, with her best figures being 2/24. Although she was part of the team during Australia’s multi-format tour, she did not play in the T20Is but made her ODI debut in Hobart, where she did not take any wickets.
Speaking exclusively with a news agency at the ‘Fancatchstic Chapter 2’ event, Vaishnavi expressed, “I feel very proud to be an international cricketer now. Since I was 11 or 12 years old, I dreamed of wearing the Indian jersey, and I have been able to wear it since last year. It always gives me the best and proudest feeling. Whenever I wear it, I feel I have to do something for India and give my best.”
While good performance on the field remains a key measure of success, Vaishnavi’s early experiences with the national team have provided her with deep insights into the off-field behavior of senior stars like captain Harmanpreet Kaur and all-rounder Sneha Rana.
She stated, “Initially, I learned that everyone talks about on-field performance. However, I learned off the field that your character and how you are as a person are more important. Every time your name is mentioned, you are a big player. But how good are you as a person? Players like Harry, Sneha, and everyone who plays for India are very humble and grounded. I want to bring more of that into myself.”
After missing out on the T20 Women’s World Cup, Vaishnavi is now focused on preparing for India’s ‘A’ tour of England, where she aims to elevate her performance level significantly. It’s worth noting that the Indian women’s cricket team faced a heavy defeat against South Africa in the 2026 T20 Women’s World Cup.
T20 matches will be played in Northampton and Chelmsford from June 20 to 25, followed by ODIs in Hove and Taunton from June 28 to July 4. Regarding her preparation, she said, “I will practice at home wherever I find myself lacking.”
She added, “I will change my routine and set new goals. I will do everything possible so that when I go to England, I can perform at my best and contribute to India A. It should be such that my name is mentioned for taking five wickets in a game against England.”
Regarding the increasing competition among left-arm spinners, Vaishnavi believes it is more important to focus on her own game rather than others. She remarked, “I always believe in healthy competition. I compare myself to myself because if I can give my best, moving forward is certain. Therefore, I don’t think too much; my focus is solely on giving my best for India.”
Hailing from Gwalior, Vaishnavi credited her domestic team, Madhya Pradesh, and its Director of Cricket, Chandrakant Pandit, for creating a high-performance environment that prepares female cricketers for the challenges of international cricket.
She noted, “In Madhya Pradesh, we have Chandrakant Pandit, who is our ‘Chandu Sir.’ He works very hard for us and prepares everything for us. For instance, when it rains, there are no camps, but we have a mixed camp where we learn diving and everything else. We correct our mistakes and work on every little thing.”
Vaishnavi further explained, “It’s not just girls there; both boys and girls are present. Therefore, it is mixed because we can learn from boys, and they can learn from girls. So, all credit goes to Chandu Sir because he is preparing us very well. Even the BCCI’s new rules are communicated to us in a timely manner.”
In conclusion, she stated, “All BCCI rules or anti-doping regulations are communicated to us beforehand, so we know that these things can happen at the next level. The level at which we play outside the state is the same level that Chandu Sir is trying to create for us in MPC. Therefore, playing outside becomes easier, and we don’t need to worry because MPC is already providing us with all those things.”
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