Shreyanka Patil Reflects on Injury Struggles and Return to Women's Premier League

Shreyanka Patil's Journey Back to Cricket

Indian spinner Shreyanka Patil, who last played for her country in October 2024, recently shared her experiences of missing significant tournaments, including the Women's Premier League (WPL) and the Women's World Cup. She discussed her conversations with Indian pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah about coping with injuries.

Having been part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) squad that won the WPL in 2024, Shreyanka is set to return this season after being retained by the franchise. After her last appearance for India in 2024, she faced a series of injuries that sidelined her for an extended period. The 23-year-old began her comeback by playing for Barbados Royals Women in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) last September, where she took one wicket in five matches. In her international career, she has played 16 T20Is, claiming 20 wickets at an average of 19.20, and has taken five wickets in three ODIs. During her recovery, she spent time at Bengaluru's Centre of Excellence.

A Year of Challenges: Injury and Missed Opportunities

Shreyanka's time away from cricket was marked by a series of injuries, including shin splints, a wrist injury, and a fracture in her left thumb, which occurred just as she was regaining her fitness in mid-2025. The physical pain was compounded by the emotional toll of missing out on crucial matches. As the leading wicket-taker in the 2024 WPL with 13 wickets, including a four-wicket haul in the final, she had to watch her team struggle without her. The most painful aspect was missing the ODI World Cup, where the Indian women's team achieved their first world title. Shreyanka expressed her feelings of frustration, stating, "I thought it was just a one-off injury. I never imagined I would be out for more than a year. Missing the World Cup hurt a lot; as a cricketer, you always want to lift that trophy."

Insights from Jasprit Bumrah: Learning to Cope

Despite the challenges, Shreyanka found solace in a conversation with Jasprit Bumrah at the Centre of Excellence, where they discussed handling pressure and injuries. She recalled, "I had many questions about bowling under pressure and practicing yorkers. He reassured me that everyone goes through tough times and advised me to embrace the situation rather than fight it."

Support from Peers: Realizing She Wasn't Alone

Initially, Shreyanka felt isolated and withdrew from social interactions. However, conversations with fellow cricketers like Riyan Parag, Mayank Yadav, Asha Sobhana, and Amanjot Kaur helped her understand that she was not alone in her struggles. She mentioned, "I locked myself away for two or three months, which was not like me. I usually have a bubbly personality, but talking to others made me realize I wasn't alone."

RCB's Trust: A Source of Confidence

Shreyanka expressed her gratitude for the unwavering support from the RCB management, particularly head coach Malolan Rangarajan, who reached out to her about being retained despite her long absence from the game. She said, "No words can describe how I felt. To have someone believe in you after not playing for 13 or 14 months gives you so much confidence."

Before the retention announcement, she had been anxious about her future and feared not being retained. After receiving the call, she immediately contacted her coach, Arjun Dev, and was overwhelmed with emotion, stating, "It was just so much love and belief."

RCB is set to begin their WPL season on Friday at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.