HYDERABAD: Playing cricket was the last thing on the mind of S Yashashri but destiny had something else in store for her. Called up to play for her school team as they were a player short, Yashashri was asked to bowl as she was tall. This was in 2016 and seven years down the line, cricket has become the mainstay in her life. Yashashri’s biggest moment was on Sunday when she won the World Cup medal after India claimed the U-19 T20 World Cup.
Luck too played an important role in 19-year-old Yashashri’s life. When the Indian team was announced in December, the Hyderabad player had failed to make the cut. It was a huge disappointment for her but again destiny played its part. An unfortunate injury to Mumbai’s Hurley Gala opened the door for Yashashri. She was quickly added to the squad as a replacement player and got to play a match against Scotland.
Though she started late – when she was 13 years old, Yashasri’s desire to learn helped her get better at cricket. She used to watch matches just to learn from what a player does in a certain situation. She started off her coaching at Bhavan’s Cricket Academy before moving to Iqbal Cricket Academy.
It was not an easy journey for the family as her father Venugopal, who worked in the IAF before taking VRS and joining a bank, had to struggle to meet the expenses of his daughter. However, he found a few good Samaritans who made the journey a memorable and fruitful one. Coach Mohd Iqbal and former Hyderabad player Kanishk Naidu, who now runs a gym, charged her much less than what they usually charge the other players.
After a poor run in the 2021-22 season, Yashashri became more determined and focused. This helped her perform well at the senior tournament and was called for the zonal and the NCA camps. She played in the bilateral series against South Africa when she took four wickets in two T20s.
