The Indian middle-order batter, Bharti Fulmali has been called up for national duty in the upcoming tour to Australia and this is her first call-up since 2019. She has worked tirelessly with relentless commitment to stay focussed on that one goal-”to play for India”. She has faced many challenges and obstacles that has drained her both mentally and physically, but it takes something even stronger to stop a player who is locked in for serving her nation at the highest level in the sport.
“Representing India is a big deal. I feel very proud, and it is a matter of honor that I am representing India”. “Everyone gave me such a nice welcome, Amol Sir, the team, everyone came and gave me a very nice welcome. I felt very good.” For Bharti, this return to the national side is not just a selection—it is a reward for years of sacrifice and persistence. We all know how difficult it is to make a name for a player, especially when she doesn’t suit the prejudiced beauty standards of the common fans. It is quite remarkable, the fight that she put up despite not selected in the team for almost 7 years and she has faced severe criticisms for her looks, which could deeply affect the morale of a player.
“The memories came back from when I played in 2019. Back then, it was very different. That team was different; back then there was Mithali Raj and different players. And now, this is a very different team, it’s a champion team. So, it feels very good and the atmosphere is very happy.” When Bharti Fulmali was selected for the first time as a 24 year old she was surrounded by the likes of Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, players who have worked very hard to earn a reputation for Women’s cricket in India. Now, the environment is clearly different. The change in atmosphere is an obvious one as the way the game is played has been ever evolving and the players that are called up for national duty have criteria that are not restricted to the classic cricketers.
The atmosphere would have been lightened up as India were desperate for an ICC Trophy and after winning one, the pressure on the players must have been reduced especially on the star players like Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana. At the same time, India have never been reluctant in trying new players and the kind of space and environment they build for players are reflected in the recent achievements of the team especially the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025.
“Then the WPL came along. The WPL was a good platform, so I knew that if I did well here, it would definitely be highlighted somewhere, and there would be chances to make a comeback. So I was trying for that, and that was my effort.”
Bharti Fulmali was determined to make a stern comeback into the squad and she felt that the WPL was the perfect stage for it. In this season, she scored 119 runs from 9 innings at a strike rate of 146. Her best performance came against the RCB Women, where she scored 39 off 20 balls at a strike rate of 195.
We have seen many players being called up for national duty, seeing their performance in franchise leagues and in a top-tier league like the WPL, it is obvious that players who can adapt to such high-stakes matches have what it takes to play at the international stage. Bharti is a strong power hitter that the Indian side will be desperately in need of as she can partner up with Richa Ghosh to give some power-packed finishes for the side.
Bharti Fulmali will be confident that she can play her best game against the mighty Aussies, as she is coming off a strong WPL season, and the support that she has received from the fans has been very good. She will be keen on holding onto her Indian cap for longer than before, as this is the ultimate goal for every cricketer and she will be hopeful that she can do her best for her nation in the sport.
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