As India gears up to host the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, fast-bowling all-rounder Arundhati Reddy stands on the brink of realising a childhood dream, representing her country in a World Cup on home soil.
India, still in pursuit of their first senior women’s global title, will launch their campaign on Tuesday against fellow co-hosts Sri Lanka at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati. For Arundhati, the moment carries a sense of déjà vu, rooted in memories from her own formative years.
“To be honest, the 2007 T20 World Cup that India won inspired me to start playing cricket, but it was the 2011 World Cup at home, with Sachin sir being part of it and everything that happened that year, that really left a mark on me,” she recalled.
The Hyderabad cricketer said those memories of MS Dhoni’s side lifting the trophy a decade and a half ago have fueled her personal ambitions ever since. “The kid inside me always wanted to play for India and win a World Cup for the country. Now, that I have the chance to play a 50-over World Cup at home, I am truly grateful to God for this opportunity. With two matches happening in Vizag, the support is very important. Hopefully, we will win,” she told JioStar.
Her journey to becoming a fast bowler, however, was far from planned. “I never wanted to be a fast bowler. I always wanted to be a wicketkeeper. On my first day at coach Ganesh sir’s academy, he asked me to bowl, and it all came naturally. A week later, I told my mom I didn’t want to keep bowling and wanted to be a wicketkeeper,” she said.
“She spoke to him, and he told her that if I wanted to be a keeper, I could find another academy, but if I stayed there, I would be a medium-pacer. That’s how my journey as a fast bowler began. Soon after, I was picked for Hyderabad under-19 and then senior-level cricket.”
The road has not been easy. Injuries and uncertainty once left her questioning her future in the sport. But her return to the Indian side gave her a renewed sense of purpose.
“It means a lot to me. There was a time in my career when I felt like I might never wear the India jersey again, and there were many questions about my future. But when I made my comeback and wore the jersey again, it felt really special,” she said.
Now, with the World Cup dream within touching distance, Arundhati is ready to chase the glory she once watched unfold from the stands, this time, as one of the stars in the middle of it.