From the diary of a cricketer

I’ve seen a lot of my teammates walk away from the game—most of the time without the slightest warning, without even saying goodbye. I have watched as they faded away into the distance, and each time I have regretted that I/we never got a chance to celebrate their achievements. Recently, another teammate, one of my dearest friends, chose to step away from the game we love so much. It has still not sunk in. Playing in a Hyderabad team without her will be strange, and I won’t believe it is possible until it actually happens. When I heard the news, I realized that I didn’t want to regret letting her fade off, and that it was time to celebrate a career that has had a huge impact on mine. To me, Mantravadi Shalini will always be a super star. When I first started playing, she was the senior whom I used to carry extra peanut butter sandwiches for, who was the ‘princess’ of camp because she had the most number of ‘fans’, and who came whizzing in on her TVS Scooty milliseconds before

I was nervous as I climbed up the stairs. It was barely 1.40 pm and the match was only due to start at 3 pm. Why do I always have to be so early? I don't even know what I am doing here... What I am supposed to do?  I reach the second floor and see someone who looks as unsure as I do-- I smile nervously at her, and she nods back, I continue to climb slowly. Just one more floor, and I will be there... I get there and see a small sign that says 'media' centre. The hallway looks a little dark and dingy, not too inviting, but I walk in anyway. I climb a flight of steps after seeing a sign that says 'print media' and walk into this glorious looking glass covered room. The light pours on my face and I see the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in all its glory. Turns out I'm not the only early bird. I meet a friend inside and we talk a bit before I look to settle down in a better placed chair. I walk down towards the front of the box and watch the teams warm up. I am intently

Another year, another load of memories dumped in the back of my brain. 2015 was a strange year. I loved most of it, but couldn't wait for it to end as it drew to a close. It was one where I reached some amazing highs and was then brought back to reality rather quickly. South Zone Senior debut 2015 saw my transition from a student to a ‘working individual’. I went from living in the comfort of my parents’ home, to fending for myself alone in Bangalore. From spending most of my day on the cricket field, to trying to find two days a week to practice! I learnt to cook, clean and talk to strangers—the last of which I was never good at. I got a job that I love, met some wonderful people, and gained some perspective of life in general. I turned from someone who was so focused on cricket that she couldn’t see the end of her nose, to someone who came to see there is so much more to life than just the sport. 2015 saw me make my debut for the South Zone Senior wo