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Young spinner Shreyanka Patil has set her sights on winning the elusive World title and an Olympic gold medal as she prepares to begin her promising journey in international cricket. The young spinner gained recognition in the Women's Premier League (WPL) for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), showcasing a batting strike rate of over 150 (151.22) and securing six wickets with her off-breaks.
Notably, she made history as the first Indian player to participate in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW), where she impressed with a notable performance, taking nine wickets in four games. This success earned the 21-year-old a call-up to the senior women's side for the WT20I series against England at the Wankhede Stadium, scheduled for December 6, 9, and 10.
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"My topmost goal is always about winning the World Cup for India — I want to be a part of the winning squad. I am working towards that and when the Olympics happens, the gold medal for sure," Patil told PTI in an interaction after the completion of the India Women’s A series against England.
Cricket made its return to the Olympic program for the Los Angeles 2028 Games after a hiatus of 128 years in October. Patil delivered a strong performance against England A women with the ball, securing five wickets in three matches, including a 'Player of the Match' award in the first T20. However, she acknowledges the need for improvement in her batting skills.
“I have been working particularly hard on my batting, maybe I have not exhibited as much as I should have in these matches, but I still trust my process and I believe that I can play the shots because I have done it previously,” Patil said.
Being a bowling all-rounder, Patil emphasises having her priorities in order, but, more significantly, she aims to focus on compartmentalising all aspects of the game.
“I know how to devote time --- be it (to) bowling, be it (to) batting. My first skill is obviously as a bowler, then comes the batting aspect. I work hard but I should be 100 per cent in one skill at least so I can give 70 to 80 per cent to my batting and my fielding has to be 120 per cent," she added.
Having been part of the RCB camp alongside the legendary Ellyse Perry, India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, and England skipper Heather Knight during the inaugural WPL, Patil considers it highly advantageous to have learned the intricacies of the game from them.
“Before the WPL started, I was just a young girl playing for Karnataka. I was a domestic player, but once I was picked for WPL for the RCB team, I got to rub shoulders with Perry, Smriti di, Heather Knight, all of these legends,” she continued.
“I could learn so much not just off the field but also on the field.”
“Playing (at) international (level), there is so much of difference, the field set, the speed of the ball maybe, which areas to pick, which bowlers to pick, just picking up the legends’ mind was a key point for me.”
Patil emerged as the leading wicket-taker in WCPL in 2023, securing nine wickets in five matches. She capitalised on turning pitches, a style that she believes suits her well.
“I was the highest wicket-taker, I really enjoyed bowling in those conditions, (against) different players, playing (as) an overseas player was a challenge for me.”
“My coach, Arjun Dev, was like, ‘now you're not a baby, they're not going to treat you as a baby, you are an overseas player you are no more the youngster. You will have to go talk to people, you will have to chat, around the team and out of that.”
“That was a challenge for me because I have not done it in the past. I really enjoyed (it) because there were turning tracks and nothing can stop me when I get wickets like that.”
"It is something that I will always cherish forever,” Patil said, emphasising that dismissing top-order batters is something she truly 'loves'.
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