Who is Vaishnavi Sharma? Madhya Pradesh spinner earns India debut after U-19 success

Madhya Pradesh left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma was handed her maiden India cap on Sunday, December 21, after being named in the playing XI for the first T20I against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam. The match marked India’s first step in their preparations for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in England in June.

Vaishnavi’s selection comes on the back of consistent performances at the junior and domestic levels. She was a key member of the Indian Under-19 team that clinched the Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup earlier this year. Along with teammate G. Kamalini, Vaishnavi earned her first senior-team call-up ahead of the five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.

The young spinner finished as the leading wicket-taker at the U-19 Women’s World Cup, claiming an impressive 17 wickets. She has since carried that momentum into domestic cricket, picking up 21 wickets in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy and emerging as the top wicket-taker in the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal T20 tournament with 12 wickets from five matches.

Born in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Vaishnavi has scripted history by becoming the first cricketer from the Chambal region to represent India at the senior international level. Her rise has been marked by several accolades, including the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for Best Woman Cricketer in the junior domestic season in 2022-23.

In an interview with BSTV MP-CG, Vaishnavi revealed that she developed her skills at the Tansen Cricket Academy in Gwalior, where rigorous training and long hours of practice played a crucial role in shaping her career.

Vaishnavi now joins fellow Madhya Pradesh cricketer Kranti Gaud in the national setup. Vaishnavi has already made an impact in the ongoing series, taking two wickets in the first two T20Is while maintaining an impressive economy rate.

“Whenever she is in Gwalior, she comes to the academy where she puts in seven hours daily, three in the morning and four in the evening. I believe that she has worked hard and now she is the first from around here to play in the World Cup,” her coach had said during the U19 showpiece earlier this year.