The three-match T20I series between India women’s cricket team and Bangladesh kicked off on July 9. In the T20I encounter, two players made their debut. One of them is 20-year-old Bareddy Anusha. While Anusha could not take a wicket and bowled a few wides, she remained economical and did not let Bangladesh batters dominate. But Anusha’s journey to her maiden cap is nothing short of an inspirational movie.
Humble beginnings
Hailing from a small village named Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, Anusha did not have access to a playground. She did not get to learn the art of spin-bowling from her coach. She faced many difficulties since childhood. However, the support she got from her Physical Education teacher Ravindra helped her step on the cricket field.
From pacer to spinner
The left-arm spinner started out as a pacer and batted as well. Anusha played as an all-rounder and used to excel in every department of the game. As a result, she was feared by her friends for what she could do on the field. But Anusha decided to switch to left-arm spin after seeing that they are getting more opportunities.
Her first break came when she got selected in Andhra Pradesh’s Under-19 team. However, she made her name playing in the local tournaments. It was in 2019, Anusha played in the South Zone tournament in Chennai. She followed them up with consistent performances. A year later, she was selected for the NCA camp where she got access to good facilities and coaching to fine-tune her skills.
Created ripples in senior One-Day tournament
Anusha became a sensation in the BCCI Senior One-Day tournament in 2021. She took three wickets each against Rajasthan, Bengal followed by two scalps against Hyderabad. In 2021, she also got four wickets for just 10 runs in an inter-zonal tournament in Hyderabad. Then she took a fifer against Tripura conceding just 10 runs. The outstanding performances earned her a spot in India A.
Unsold in WPL 2023 auction
Anusha had a base price of Rs 10 lakh in Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 mega auction. However, after representing India on international stage, she is likely to get picked for the next season.
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