Mysuru: For most 25-year-olds, representing their home franchise in one of the best and most lucrative women’s T20 competitions in the world remains a distant dream.
For Bengaluru’s Vrinda Dinesh, it was a dream come true.
On the back of some brilliant India A performances, top-order batter Vrinda was picked by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for Rs 10 lakh at the WPL mini-auction in Kochi on Wednesday.
“To be playing for RCB has always been a dream since I started watching them on TV,” Vrinda told DH.
After joining the UP Warriorz as the second-most expensive uncapped player and featuring in 10 games, she now arrives to play for a franchise she’s been connected with since she picked up a cricket bat.
“I have been following them since I picked up the bat,” she smiles. “Very happy and grateful for the opportunity to represent RCB. Also very excited and looking forward to this.”
Vrinda was signed by the Challengers to fill one of the batting slots left after the franchise released both Dayalan Hemalatha and Gautami Naik.
While she experiences a spectrum of happy emotions, and understandly so after her favourite franchise picked her, the seeds of it were sown during conversations with head coach Malolan Rangarajan at the RCB trials.
“When I attended the trials, I had a conversation with Malo sir and he spoke about what the team requires and what my role would be if I make the team. So very happy and looking forward to the experience.”
Playing for RCB also means a chance to pick the brains and brush shoulders with Australian legend Ellyse Perry.
“Butterflies. Honestly, butterflies,” she says thinking about the opportunity to share the dressing room with Perry.
Creating history
There was also a bit of history inside the auction room when Karnataka’s 15-year-old Uma Kashvi became the youngest player to get a WPL contract when Delhi Capitals signed the all-rounder for Rs 10 lakh.
Uma Kashvi.
“I was really happy and very excited. I’m also very grateful for Delhi Capitals for showing the faith in me. It’ll be a wonderful opportunity to share the dressing room with Jemi (Jemimah Rodrigues), Laura Wolvaardt, Shafali Verma and others,” Kashvi told DH.
Well, being the youngest in the competition also comes with a tag: pressure. For Kashvi, it is a privilege.
“Firstly, pressure is a privilege. There will be pressure (age-factor) but it’s a wonderful opportunity to express myself. The most important thing is not to focus on the result and look to enjoy the game.”