India’s fast bowler Renuka Singh Thakur celebrates her 26th Birthday today, January 2nd. Brought up in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, Singh is a student of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association’s Dharamshala Academy (HPCA), the same academy which produced the first cricketer from the state in the Indian team, Sushma Verma and then the Chandigarh born all-rounder Harleen Deol.
Representing Himachal Pradesh, Renuka finished as the leading wicket-taker in the 2019–20 Senior Women’s One Day Trophy, with 23 wickets while in the last edition i.e., the 2020-21 edition, took 9 wickets in 5 matches with the best spell of 4/39.
On the basis of her outstanding performance in the 2019-20 edition of the tournament, she got her maiden call up to the national side last year on India’s tour to Australia for a multi-format series. She was included for the three T20Is as a part of the tour and found a place in the playing XI for all three matches. While the first T20I was abandoned due to rain, Renuka bowled the full quota of four overs in the remaining two matches, finishing the second one conceding 27 runs bowling the only maiden over of the match but failed to get a wicket. However, she opened her wicket count with the big wicket of Australian wicket-keeper Alyssa Healy providing her team with the first breakthrough in just the 3rd over of the final T20I. She finished with 1-23 in the match. Though India wasn’t able to turn either of the two matches to their side, the team’s performance was applauded by many.
Given her impressive performance, there is a high probability of her inclusion in India’s squad for their tour to New Zealand next month playing a T20I and five ODIs ahead of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. She might also get her maiden ODI call up, though the presence of experienced pace bowlers, legendary Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, and Arundhati Reddy makes it less likely, given the World Cup is just around the corner.
Having said that, without a doubt, the Indian team has a great future ahead with some talented women like Renuka Singh coming into the spotlight.
Author of the poetry book ‘The Scent of Rhythm’, I am a passionate writer and a Sports enthusiast who writes on Cricket and plays Badminton.