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Parunika Sisodia, grabbed eyeballs at the U19 Women’s World Cup, talks about the valuable experience of playing under Harmanpreet Kaur and her red-ball aspirations.
Parunika Sisodia aspires to play red-ball cricket. (BCCI Photo)
Delhi’s left-arm spinner Parunika Sisodia first came into the spotlight at the U19 Women’s World Cup earlier this year, when she picked up three wickets in India’s opening match. Her spell of 2.2-0-7-3 helped bowl out West Indies for just 44, setting the tone for India’s title defence.
Parunika went on to finish the tournament with 10 wickets in six matches at an impressive economy of 2.71.
In a conversation with News18 CricketNext on the sidelines of the Women’s Delhi Premier League (WDPL), Parunika spoke about her switch from tennis to cricket, her experience with the Mumbai Indians and her aspirations to play red-ball cricket.
Tell us about your experience of playing in WDPL
The experience has been really good. Last season was my first and I couldn’t do much for the team. This year, I wanted to contribute and I’m happy that I was able to do that. Our franchise, the Central Delhi Queens, has been amazing. They’ve created such a positive environment and provided us with everything we need. That kind of support boosts a player’s confidence.
When did you start playing cricket and why did you choose left-arm spin?
My cricket journey is a bit weird. I hated the game at first! My father, who played for Uttar Pradesh and is a cricket coach, used to take me along to summer camps. At that time, I was playing lawn tennis, but gradually I saw kids enjoying cricket and realised it offered more opportunities than tennis, where I lacked proper guidance.
On January 11, 2018, I decided to switch. I still remember the date because it changed my life. My father placed a cricket kit in front of me and asked what to do with my tennis gear. I told him to give it away.
Initially, I bowled left-arm medium pace. But during the monsoon, the pitches weren’t great for pace bowling. My father suggested I try spin, though I resisted at first. Once I tried, I realised I had more control.
The next month, I went for DDCA trials. Anju Jain ma’am, spotted me, praised me and sent me to train with the senior team. There, I met Reema Malhotra ma’am, who encouraged me and said that I just needed to fine-tune my skills. At the time, I didn’t realise how valuable that support was, but now I do.
You’ve been part of the WPL with the Mumbai Indians. How was it to play under Harmanpreet Kaur and work with Charlotte Edwards and Jhulan Goswami?
When I joined MI, I had just come off the U19 World Cup win. Naturally, everyone’s first question was about that experience. For me, the fact that legends like Charlotte Edwards, Jhulan ma’am and Harman di knew about me was huge.
It gave me a sense of responsibility; I had to live up to their trust because they had picked me. The franchise has shown great faith in me, giving me chances and I just want to keep improving and delivering. I don’t want to look back.
Red-ball cricket for women isn’t as common. Do you aspire to play it?
Definitely. I believe red-ball cricket is the purest format. Even Virat Kohli has said it’s the best form of the game. Over the last couple of years, BCCI has been giving us more platforms for red-ball cricket and I think it will grow in the next 5–6 years.
I hope it happens soon, because I feel everyone should get to enjoy women’s red-ball cricket.
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