Back on field, Patil has a point to prove

For someone known for being electric and full of youthful energy, Shreyanka Patil has spent the better part of the past year learning calm and stillness.

- Samreen Razzaqui

The 22-year-old off-spinner who dazzled for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the 2023 Women’s Caribbean Premier League and for RCB in their 2024 WPL title run and now turns out for Barbados Royals in the WCPL has been caught in a cycle of injuries that has kept her away from the game.

Touted as one of India’s most exciting young prospects, Patil will miss the upcoming ICC Women’s ODI World Cup at home. But her journey over the past year has been less about runs, wickets and trophies, and more about patience and perspective. “Someone who's not played for about 1l months... I think I was prepared not to be in the team,” Patil told HT in an interaction facilitated by FanCode. “Obviously, if I get a chance, I'd love to grab that. But I was somewhere prepared, saying, ‘Okay, I might not be seen in the Indian team for the World Cup.’”