On this day, April 10, 2013, a 16-year-old girl from Sangli, Maharashtra, made her One Day International (ODI) debut for India against Bangladesh. This young prodigy was none other than Smriti Mandhana, who has since become a pillar of the Indian women’s cricket team.
The success of Smriti Mandhana in Indian Cricket
Born on July 18, 1996, Smriti was introduced to cricket by her father, who took her to practice sessions with her brother. She quickly developed a passion for the sport and decided to pursue it professionally. Her journey from following her brother to practice to becoming a pivotal batsman for India is nothing short of inspiring.
Smriti’s ODI debut came at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad. She batted at No.3 and scored a promising 25 runs off 35 balls, contributing to India’s victory. Despite being the youngest player on the team, Smriti showed maturity beyond her years, demonstrating her potential to become a leading figure in Indian cricket.
Over the years, Smriti has become one of the most reliable batters in the Indian lineup. She has scored 3242 runs from 82 ODIs at an average of 42.65 and a strike-rate of 83.47, with 5 centuries and 26 half-centuries to her name. She is also third in the list of leading run-scorers for India Women in ODIs after Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet.
Mandhana has also scored 480 and 3104 runs in Tests and T20Is respectively, with 1 century and 26 fifties to her name. Recently, Mandhana also helped the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) win their maiden WPL title.
Smriti’s batting style, characterized by elegant stroke play and aggressive intent, has drawn comparisons with some of the greats of the game. Her ability to score runs consistently across all formats has made her a crucial part of the Indian team. Moreover, her success at a young age has inspired many young girls in India to take up cricket.
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