Although young Andhra Pradesh spinner N Sree Charani featured in just two matches during the third season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) it was enough to catch the attention of national selectors and earn her a place in the senior squad.
In the ODI Tri-Series featuring India, Sri Lanka, and South Africa, hosted by Sri Lanka, Sree Charani made her debut against the hosts. She impressed on debut, taking two wickets while conceding just 26 runs in her economical eight-over spell. She finished the series with six wickets across the five matches India played and played a key role in the team’s series victory.
The spinner’s impressive outing in her maiden international series also earned her a first call-up to the T20I squad for the series against England.
In the absence of senior fast bowlers, India fielded four spinners in the first match, a surprising decision given England’s pace-friendly and swing-supporting conditions. However, the strategy paid off handsomely as India secured a 97-run victory, thanks to a maiden T20I century from the stand-in captain and a dominant performance by the spinners.
The standout was debutant left-arm spinner Sree Charani, who delivered a sensational spell, claiming four wickets for just 12 runs. Among her scalps was the in-form England captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, who top-scored with 66. In her 23-ball spell, Charani conceded just one boundary and bowled 15 dot balls, highlighting her disciplined and effective T20I bowling.
The young spinner has taken two or more wickets in every T20I match she has played so far. With 10 wickets, she currently leads the bowling charts in her maiden T20 International series, and that too in pace-friendly English conditions.
In a conversation shared by BCCI Women on X (formerly Twitter), N Sree Charani speaks about her story of passion, determination, and talent.
Recalling how she began her cricketing journey, she said, “I played so many games. I used to play Kho-Kho, Kabaddi, everything I used to play. I started playing cricket because of my mama (uncle). But I never thought that I’d start it professionally. I had a dream. We used to play for one ball. So, my mama used to teach me pace bowling. But for space, no one is getting out. So, I tried spin, and it worked.”
Her eureka moment came during an athletic meet. “So, after that meeting was completed, I went home. I told my mother, Ma, I want to start. I don’t want to do athletics. I just want to play cricket. I’ll play, I’ll play, I’ll play well. Like that, I said. My mother said, you do whatever you want. After my father came home, we told (him). But he didn’t accept it. I stood by my words only. So, “I want to play” means “I want to play.” I told him. Eventually, after one year, he accepted.” This single anecdote reveals the deep passion the 20-year-old has had and continues to have for the game, even at the highest level.
She also spoke about her parents’ support in her cricketing journey. She recalls, “My father had so many loans at that time when I was starting it. But he never let that come in my way, and he supported me very well. Because of him and my whole family, I am standing here.”
In the video, Sree Charani also spoke about the WPL auction and the emotional roller coaster she and her family went through. She recalled, “During the auction, at first, I thought no one would pick me, and I wanted to put my phone down. Then the Mumbai Indians started bidding. After that, Delhi Capitals also joined the bidding, so I thought it was done. Later, when my parents called me, I found out I had been sold for 55 lakhs. My parents were very happy, and I think my father even cried at that moment.”
She remembers her maiden WPL wicket of RCB’s Raghvi Bist. She described one of her best deliveries as the ball she bowled to Raghvi, calling it a “dream ball” for her, spinning away from the batter. She added that, especially for a left-arm spinner, it was a dream ball.
She also shared that her uncle often spoke to her about senior players such as captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her deputy Smriti Mandhana. Her uncle told her to watch the Indian legends who were playing and encouraged her by saying she could play like them too and start playing professionally. She said, “If I started professionally, it was for this very reason. I wanted to play for India.”
She described receiving the India cap as an incredible feeling that left her nearly speechless. She said she felt truly honoured to receive the cap from the senior spinner, Sneh Rana. All she wanted was to step onto the field and play. She added that playing for India felt like living her dream and that she was determined to help her team win matches.
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