Nandni Sharma opens up on early struggles, credits WPL for her rise

Long before she became one of India’s promising young fast bowlers, Nandni Sharma was a youngster frustrated by the lack of opportunities at her academy. The coaches rarely handed her the ball, and at one stage she even walked away from the game. Today, having benefited from the experience of sharing a dressing room with some of the biggest names in women’s cricket through the WPL, Nandni says those early struggles played a key role in shaping her journey.

“The WPL has changed me a lot as a cricketer. I have learned so much, from sharing the dressing room with big players to watching how they prepare, how they handle pressure, and how they approach different situations. I now see cricket in a different way. Earlier, I used to think that if I just bowl, I will get wickets. But now I understand that there is so much more to the game. There is planning, reading the batter, adapting to conditions, and communicating with teammates. I have learned a lot, and all of it is helping me in my journey,” Nandni told JioStar.

Advertisement

Nandni recalled that her cricket journey began by accompanying her brother to the academy, where she spent more time watching than participating.

“When I started playing cricket, my brother used to play, so I began by watching him. I would go to the academy with him, but I wasn’t given the chance to bowl. The coaches wouldn’t hand the ball to me at that time. I felt left out. So, I left cricket in between. I kept complaining at home that they don’t give me the chance to bowl,” she said.

Despite stepping away from the game briefly, her desire to return never faded. A chance moment at the academy eventually sparked her passion for fast bowling and changed the course of her career.

“Then, after some time, I felt like playing again. I wanted to give it another try. After that, I saw a senior player running in and bowling fast. I didn’t even know at that time that it was called pace bowling. I just watched her and thought, I also want to bowl like that.

“That moment changed everything. Earlier, I didn’t even get a ball in my hand. But from that day, I started fast bowling. That is one of my most important memories. That is where my journey as a fast bowler truly began,” she added.

The youngster said she grew up watching former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan and now looks up to Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah. Among women’s cricketers, South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp remains her biggest inspiration.

Nandni also revealed that playing and training almost exclusively with boys in her formative years helped her develop quickly as a fast bowler. Although the demanding nature of pace bowling occasionally made her consider switching to spin, her performances convinced her to stay the course.

“At one point, I thought about becoming a spinner. The idea crossed my mind more than once. But things were going well in fast bowling. I was picking up wickets and getting better with every game. So, I didn’t pay much attention to that thought.

“Fast bowling is very difficult. Injuries happen often. You must stay extra fit and take more care of your body. I used to think, should I change, should I try spin bowling? But then I would see myself succeeding with pace, and the thought of switching to spin would fade away. Wickets kept coming, and that gave me confidence,” she said.