With a terrific spell of control and change of pace, Arundhati picked up 3/19 against Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium for a player-of-the-match performance. (ICC on X)
If you have managed to impress Meg Lanning with your abilities on the cricket field, you must be doing something right in your career. During the first two Women’s Premier League seasons with Delhi Capitals, Arundhati Reddy – or “Aru” as Lanning calls her – kept earning the plaudits of the legendary Australian star. There was something about Aru that earned her Lanning’s respect… not just with her bowling and batting, but when she’d throw herself around the field, often along the boundary lines, sometimes even when the match was all but won.
On Sunday, Arundhati realised a dream – of being a matchwinner for India, once again. With a terrific spell of control and change of pace, she picked up 3/19 against Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium for a player-of-the-match performance.
Having made her T20I debut in September 2018, the seam-bowling all-rounder fell out of reckoning from the national setup after July 2021. She’d next play for India only in June 2024, when she earned her ODI cap in Bengaluru against South Africa.
Presenting it to her was India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, and in the huddle, she gave a lovely little speech: “I know one year back around the same time we were having a conversation and there were lots of question marks for you. But you took a bold call, a big decision that I don’t think many of us would have. Only someone who has a lot of faith in her skills and hard work, can do. And I said, when you come back to the Indian team, you will win matches for India, dominate and stay with us.”
What Mandhana was referring to was Arundhati’s decision to leave the comforts of the Railways setup and seek a new challenge in the domestic circuit to prove her all-round credentials once more. After a chat with former India fielding coach Biju George, she made the shift to Kerala.
“It was three tough years, I wouldn’t lie. But I am glad it happened because I am the cricketer I am today because of that,” she had said on the day of her ODI debut. “I had to work hard, there were lot of doubts, uncertainty. But I always had the faith. Shifting domestic teams helped me a lot because I was bowling the tougher overs and batting under pressure situations. Now, I know I am much more prepared.”
Having gone through the domestic grind, Arundhati had a solid season with DC under Lanning’s guidance, in a side where there was real importance given to seam bowlers. Shikha Pandey and Marizanne Kapp too played their part, and soon enough Arundhati was back in India contention, named in all three formats for South Africa’s visit.
Against Pakistan, Arundhati once again showed she was ready to bowl the tough overs — in the powerplay as well at the death — using the sluggish pitch to her advantage with the changes of pace. The three wickets – which came in overs 7, 13, and 20 – were just reward, and she could have had two more had Asha Sobhana held on to simple catches.
“Honestly, the last couple of years I’ve tried to work on my bowling as a complete T20 bowler, someone who can bowl in all phases,” she said. The hard work has seen her return to India’s setup. And she is making sure she does enough to stay here.
