In a candid conversation on Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s podcast – Bold and Beyond, Shreyanka Patil, the talented Bangalore girl who made a name for herself as last year’s Purple Cap winner for RCB, shared her journey from being a wide-eyed admirer of Virat Kohli to earning appreciation from her idol herself. She reminisced about the thrill of being picked up by RCB, learning from Ravi Ashwin and the experience of bowling at Chinnaswamy.
Shreyanka Patil shared her surreal experience of meeting Virat Kohli after RCB Women’s title win. A longtime admirer of Kohli, she recalled eagerly waiting for her turn, thinking, “When am I going to shake my hands with him?”
When the moment finally came, Kohli greeted her with, “Hi Shreyanka, well bowled.” Stunned that he knew her name, she couldn’t believe it. “Isn’t it cool that a legend knows my name?” she said in amazement. For Shreyanka, this brief exchange was incredibly special. “Till my last breath, I will still keep that as a special statement,” she expressed, cherishing the moment forever.
She also opened up about the whirlwind of emotions she felt during the WPL auction. She recalled the tense moments leading up to her name being called, admitting that when star all-rounder Hayley Matthews went unsold, she doubted her own chances.
As fate would have it, the auction took a 45-minute break, adding to her anxiety. When the auction resumed and her name was called, she could hardly believe it when RCB placed a bid. As the gavel dropped, sealing the deal, she found herself overwhelmed.
“I was blank… I didn’t jump around, I didn’t shout, I just gave my coach a hug and then I started crying. I don’t know why, but I just burst it out with tears,” she shared, reliving the emotional moment.
Shreyanka, also spoke about her approach to spin bowling, emphasizing that she doesn’t just want to be a containing bowler but a wicket-taking one in all phases—powerplay, middle overs, and death. She has worked hard to develop her skills across these stages, drawing inspiration from Ravi Ashwin, whom she believes has transformed spin bowling.
Ahead of the World Cup, she struggled with grip issues in Dubai due to excessive sweat and dew, making death bowling particularly challenging. Without hesitation, she messaged Ashwin for advice, and to her surprise, he responded instantly, giving her advice and reassuring her to reach out anytime.
She admires the way he has proven that spinners can have endless variations. “I just want to pick his brains, he has the scientist mindset,” she said, expressing her admiration for him.
Shreyanka shared the challenges of bowling at Chinnaswamy Stadium, a tough venue for bowlers. Last year, she struggled with pace and tactics, only figuring things out after the Bangalore leg ended.
The small ground, heavy dew, and pressure of playing in front of a home crowd made it even more difficult. Despite the challenges, she enjoys the unpredictability of the pitch, calling it both nerve-wracking and exciting.
(Quotes sourced from RCB Podcast)
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