To say that she had a memorable year would be an understatement. Renuka Singh Thakur has been nothing short of a revelation and 2022 is a testament to what a phenomenal talent she is. Scalping a total of 40 wickets across 29 matches last year, she has been fantastic and has really been the reason for India’s consistent performances.
What makes her stand apart from the rest is her ability to swing the ball at will and extract deviation from the surface, she has been dependable and has firmly etched her name as one of the finest proponents of swing bowling. Currently ranked 6th in the WT20Is ranking and 33rd in the WODIs rankings, she has also been nominated for the ICC Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year Award 2022 deservingly.
Having worked her way through the ranks with commendable performances in domestic cricket, her talent was honed by her coach Pawan Sen early on. Improvement has been the central theme of her life and in her off time, she is often seen going back to the drawing board and reworking on sharpening her skill sets which is such a remarkable aspect.
India’s pace bowling stocks for the past few decades or so have relied massively on Jhulan Goswami so post her retirement there were concerns about who could take over and spearhead the attack but with the presence of Renuka Singh Thakur to the attack, the bowling certainly wears a different and strong look. She adds a lot of teeth to the bowling as visible in the third ODI versus England at Lord’s where she took four wickets or her bowling performance in the Commonwealth Games where she ended up as the leading wicket-taker and that spell versus Australia in the finals that almost broke Australia’s resolve while chasing that 154 or even the Asia Cup performance are some among the unmatched and unforgettable performances that give hope in the coming years of her bristling potential.
She’s just maintaining excellent form ever since her debut and these are promising signs of greatness that awaits the world. Her journey from the village of Parsa, close to Rohru in Himachal Pradesh, to winning everyone’s hearts and being referred to as ‘The Queen of Swing’ already her journey so far has been nothing short of interesting and inspiring. Renuka is anticipated to remain a mainstay in this Indian team for a long time, and she has the ability to establish a lasting legacy for herself.
I am a first year postgraduate student pursuing a MA in Media and Communication Studies at Christ University, Bengaluru. I am a podcaster, blogger and an avid cricket fan. When not glued to cricket matches, you can find me submerged in books and thinking about cricket all the time.
