Sophie Devine has been on the receiving finish of widespread plaudits through the ongoing version of the Girls’s Premier League (WPL), and deservedly so.
Perched on the prime of the Purple Cap standings with 17 wickets, the Gujarat Giants all-rounder has been instrumental in serving to the workforce see off tense matches. Circumstances in level are the 2 matches in opposition to Delhi Capitals – the Giants’ opponent within the Eliminator on Tuesday – the place the New Zealand veteran gave a masterclass in demise bowling.
However one other GG participant who has flown underneath the radar together with her quiet, but impactful spells is Rajeshwari Gayakwad. If Devine pulls the strings in direction of the tip of the innings, Rajeshwari holds the fort within the center overs (7-15). Seven of her 10 wickets thus far this season have come through the center part, 5 of her scalps being in opposition to Delhi.
Rajeshwari holds the fort within the center overs, with seven of her 10 wickets thus far this season coming through the center part.
| Picture Credit score:
Gujarat Giants
Rajeshwari holds the fort within the center overs, with seven of her 10 wickets thus far this season coming through the center part.
| Picture Credit score:
Gujarat Giants
The left-arm spinner was picked by the Giants for Rs. 40 lakh within the public sale, marking an finish to her affiliation with UP Warriorz, the place she spent the primary three seasons. The transfer to GG has thus far been a boon for the 34-year-old.
“I didn’t know GG would choose me on the public sale. It’s been a blessing for me as a result of I’ve been having a number of enjoyable being part of this workforce. Everybody is absolutely supportive, and so they by no means made me really feel that I’m a newcomer. The environment is absolutely good,” Rajeshwari instructed Sportstar on the eve of the Eliminator in opposition to DC.
After the second league-stage match in opposition to the Warriorz, the place her spell of three for 16 earned her the Participant of the Match award, Rajeshwari revealed how she’s been having fun with her cricket recently. Nevertheless it took the Indian worldwide an damage layoff and a shift on the home degree to rediscover herself with the ball.
A crucial change
Throughout India’s 2024 Check match in opposition to South Africa in Chennai, Rajeshwari sustained a knee damage which required surgical procedure. After the operation, she spent six months in rehab.
Throughout India’s 2024 Check match in opposition to South Africa in Chennai, Rajeshwari sustained a knee damage which required surgical procedure.
| Picture Credit score:
B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM
Throughout India’s 2024 Check match in opposition to South Africa in Chennai, Rajeshwari sustained a knee damage which required surgical procedure.
| Picture Credit score:
B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM
As soon as she regained match health, nonetheless, she couldn’t discover a place within the Railways workforce.
Rajeshwari started representing the aspect again in 2015 after altering allegiances from her residence State, Karnataka. However she claimed that after coming back from damage, she didn’t get an opportunity to show herself.
“It took me fairly a while to recover from it however typically you perceive what’s to return. I felt that Railways wouldn’t help me, or give me an opportunity to show myself after coming back from damage. I used to be in a nasty place mentally too,” she defined.
That’s when the participant from Bijapur (now Vijayapura) selected to return to Karnataka forward of the 2025-26 home season, a transfer which paid off dearly.
Within the Senior Girls’s T20 Trophy Elite, she bagged 15 wickets at an financial system of 5.07 and averaged 11.40 each wicket. She was Karnataka’s highest wicket-taker within the version, and third-highest total.
“I obtained plenty of time throughout my rehab to work on my health and method earlier than this home season. Furthermore, it’s the quantity of self-belief I’ve that helped me rather a lot. I performed WPL final yr, too, however didn’t get a lot sport time as a result of I’d simply returned to motion.
“It was crucial to get myself bodily match once more. As regards to my bowling, I labored on areas which wanted enchancment and discovered variations. That’s why I feel I utilised that interval very effectively, and the outcomes are exhibiting now,” she mentioned.
It was a contemporary begin for Rajeshwari, going into the season with the goal of having fun with her cricket and nothing extra. Maybe the absence of any expectations from herself helped her churn out performances which caught the eyeballs of WPL scouts sitting on the GG desk.
Nonetheless going robust
Whereas Rajeshwari, who’s often called Raja di within the cricketing world, appears to have discovered her rhythm as soon as once more on the home and franchise degree, she nonetheless yearns to placed on the India jersey once more.
The final time she represented India was in that 2024 Check. In white-ball codecs, she final performed in 2023 – it was the ultimate in opposition to Sri Lanka on the Asian Video games in China.
When requested about India’s ODI World Cup triumph final yr, she sounded happy. “I felt so glad. The unrealised dream lastly got here true. I used to be watching the ultimate from residence, and my tears wouldn’t cease. I wasn’t unhappy for not being a part of the workforce when it received the Cup,” Rajeshwari, who was a part of the aspect which misplaced the 2017 World Cup ultimate to England, mentioned.
Rajeshwari, who was a part of the aspect which misplaced the 2017 World Cup ultimate to England, had uncontrollable tears watching India’s 2025 triumph.
| Picture Credit score:
Motion Photographs through Reuters
Rajeshwari, who was a part of the aspect which misplaced the 2017 World Cup ultimate to England, had uncontrollable tears watching India’s 2025 triumph.
| Picture Credit score:
Motion Photographs through Reuters
Her comparatively prolonged absence from the nationwide workforce set-up may need created murmurs of her silently calling it a day from worldwide cricket, however she debunked any and all theories with a smile.
“I positively hope to play for India once more. I don’t know why individuals suppose I’ve retired, possibly Google is exhibiting that [laughs]. I’m nonetheless taking part in, and wish to for so long as I’m match. And it’s vital to take the age issue out of the equation, as a result of there are people who find themselves taking part in at 37, so why can’t I? Until the day I depart cricket, nobody can take it away from me.”
Printed on Feb 03, 2026