Eight months away from the Indian women’s cricket team could have dented Vaishnavi Sharma’s confidence, but the young left-arm spinner chose to turn the setback into an opportunity to sharpen her skills. On her return to the ODI side, the 20-year-old from Gwalior made a telling statement, claiming four wickets against Zimbabwe to underline her growing promise.
While veteran batters Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma struck centuries in the second ODI of the three-match series in Vadodara, Vaishnavi grabbed the spotlight with figures of 4/39 in 10 overs. Her spell helped India dismiss Zimbabwe for 207 in 48.5 overs, securing a 121-run victory and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
For Vaishnavi, the performance was the reward for months of perseverance, reflection and hard work.
“I had prepared mentally, and I worked on things I could develop during the gap. Speed, variations, reading what the batter is doing and being aware of the match situation — those are things I worked on,” she said after the match.
She added that a subtle adjustment in her release had helped her bowling. “I have not changed my action a lot, but maybe I am holding the ball a little more when releasing, which has worked for me.”
India captain Smriti Mandhana was impressed by the young spinner’s control and tactical awareness.
“Vaishnavi was brilliant. She was varying the pace and changing angles. She knows her game very well,” Mandhana said. The captain later asked Vaishnavi to lead the team off the ground, a fitting gesture after her match-winning contribution.
Vaishnavi first announced herself on the international stage during India’s triumphant campaign at the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup. She finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, claiming 17 wickets in six matches at an economy rate of 4.35. Her five-wicket haul, including a hat-trick against Malaysia, showcased her ability to combine control with attacking intent.
She carried that form into domestic cricket, taking 21 wickets in nine matches for Madhya Pradesh to finish as the leading wicket-taker in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy.
Her reward was a place in India’s T20I squad for the five-match series against Sri Lanka, where she made a promising start to her senior international career.
However, despite her encouraging performances, Vaishnavi missed out on India’s squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup, with Radha Yadav preferred. The disappointment proved a turning point rather than a roadblock.
“It was disappointing for Vaishnavi not to be included in the World Cup T20 team. But she is young and took it in her stride. She worked harder on skill and fitness to prove her mettle,” her father, Professor Narender Sharma, said.
Vaishnavi responded by making the most of her opportunities with India A.
Her performances against Australia A across one-day, T20 and multi-day matches in Mohali and New Chandigarh strengthened her case for a return to the senior side. She continued to impress on India A’s tour of England, featuring in the one-day and T20 series.
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Her early ODI journey had been less encouraging. On debut against Australia in Hobart, she conceded 34 runs in four overs. But the young spinner refused to let one difficult outing define her prospects, working on her variations, pace and ability to read batters.
Her journey in franchise cricket also had its challenges. Vaishnavi went unsold at the Women’s Premier League mega auction before joining Mumbai Indians as a replacement for G Kamalini. She played three matches, taking one wicket.
She is retained by MI for the next WPL and it would be interesting to see how she performs in her second WPL edition with a new mindset and improved skillset.
Now, her performance against Zimbabwe has offered a timely reminder of her potential.
At 20, Vaishnavi still has much to learn, but her journey reflects the resilience required to progress in a competitive international setup. From dominating the Under-19 World Cup to leading the domestic wicket charts and earning a place in India’s bowling plans, she has repeatedly demonstrated her ability to bounce back.