In her third season for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women's Premier League, Renuka Singh Thakur has truly come into her own, claiming 10 wickets in seven matches so far.
From playing with balls made out of waste clothes to becoming India's go-to fast bowler, Renuka has come a long way.
Cricket was not just a sport for Renuka; it was the unfulfilled dream of her late father.
"I hadn't seen much cricket as a kid. It was just a pastime and I really don't know how it all started. I just liked playing, that's all. In our village we used to play a game with cloth balls. You have to throw it really fast, otherwise it won't go far. So that's how I became a fast bowler. One day, to my surprise, my mother told me that my father was passionate about cricket. He wanted at least one of his children to play the game. So, I started taking it seriously and I think I pursued cricket to realize my dad's dream" the 29-year-old said.
Renuka's path to success was anything but easy. She left her village in Shimla to join a cricket academy and steadily climbed the ranks. However, when she thought she was on track to make it big, she was dropped from the Under-19 team, one of the bitter moments in her cricketing journey.
"At that time, I was going through a tough period, both in my personal and professional lives. As I was trying to cope with my axing from the U-19 squad, my brother met with an an accident. It was not easy to find a way out of that situation. But I liked taking challenges, and after being dropped from the U-19 team, told myself that I should prove them wrong by performing well. So, I worked very hard to lift my game."
That relentless drive paid off when she made her India debut against Australia in October 2021. And in 2023, RCB picked her for the inaugural WPL season. Though she managed just one wicket in her debut season, she never stopped learning. Seeking wisdom from the best, she turned to Jasprit Bumrah for advice on handling pressure.
"I had a long conversation with him after the WPL. I was feeling like I had taken on too much pressure, so I asked him how to deal with it. He told me that the more matches you play, the more you'll get used to it. The more people watch you, the more pressure increases. But how you handle it matters," she revealed.
Now, back at her best, Renuka has 10 wickets to her name and held the purple cap at various points in the season. "I'm lucky to be playing for RCB because the fans are so passionate. When we go to the stadium, the whole stadium reverberates with the chants 'RCB'.
"I like it when the crowd chants our name, it gives us a push. I'm happy that women's cricket has grown a lot in India over the past few years. Now, there are so many facilities, the pay has increased, and so many girls have started pursuing cricket as a career. When I visit my village, I can see so many kids playing cricket. It feels great when they come and say they want to be like me," Renuka said.
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