One look at S. Krishnamurthy Sravanthi Raj Naidu and you
wouldn’t guess she is one of Hyderabad’s leading all-rounders and has
represented the Indian women’s team in two World Cups. Her self-effacing and
humble manner means she flies under the radar more often than not.
Like many before her, Sravanthi started off playing ‘gully
cricket’ with the boys. “I used to enjoy playing gully cricket. I would try to
copy Rahul Dravid’s technique even then. When I found out about women’s cricket
coaching in Keyes High School, I joined the camp there,” says Sravanthi, who
represented India in the ICC Women’s World T20 held in Bangladesh earlier this
year.
“It was an absolutely wonderful experience”, says the
left-arm spinner from Hyderabad. “It was my first time playing in a T20 World
Cup and I really enjoyed it. I had never played under lights before so that
took some getting used to. It was very different,” admits Sravanthi. In Sylhet,
where India played all of its league matches, the stadiums were packed even for
the women’s games. “Playing in front of large crowds was exciting. The
Bangladeshi spectators were extremely encouraging. They used to shout out our
names when we were patrolling the boundary. I got to sign a few autographs as
well.”
As a team, India didn’t do too well, but Sravanthi’s
performances were credible. She grabbed two ‘Woman of the Match’ awards in the
preceding series against Bangladesh and also bowled India to victory against
Pakistan in their final game of the World Cup, picking up 2 wickets for 12 runs
in a low scoring encounter. “It felt great having succeeded on the big stage. I
can proudly say that I have done well for India,” she adds with a smile on her
face.
Sravanthi’s journey to the top, though, was not smooth
sailing. Like all sportspersons she faced many setbacks. As a promising junior
cricketer, she lived up to the initial expectations, making her Test and One
Day International debut at the age of 19 against England. She did not set the
world alight with her performances, but Sravanthi definitely showed some
ability, taking 2 wickets in the first innings.
Unfortunately, she was dropped
for the next series and wandered in the wilderness of domestic cricket for the
next 4 years. The gutsy all rounder caught the selectors’ attention once again
with some consistent performances and managed to fight her way back into the
Indian team for the 2009 World Cup in Australia. “At that stage, I was never
sure what my role was. I didn’t know whether I was picked as a batsman who can
bowl or a bowler who can bat. I would bowl a couple of overs and then bat low
down the order. I obviously felt a lot of pressure to perform in the limited
opportunities I got.” This confusion
didn’t help Sravanthi as she failed to make any real mark on the tournament
picking up only one wicket in the entire tournament.
Another 5 years in the wilderness and she has returned with
a bang. With a clearer role and a stronger head on her shoulders, Sravanthi
managed to take the chances that came her way. “[Before this] at the
International level, I never managed to make a significant contribution. This
time around I was more confident and kept telling myself to believe that I am
the best. I worked really hard to fight my way back into the team and it has
been worth it.”
Despite all the disappointments she has faced, Sravanthi has
always been extremely positive about her chances of making a comeback. “I have
always felt that if you come up with brilliant performances in the domestic
circuit you will be there. If you do really well, there is no way you will not
make it. I just try my best to answer my critics with the bat and ball,” she
says. “Most importantly, I have learnt that you must enjoy what you do. It is
always those who play with passion that usually succeed in the longer run.”
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