INTERVIEW
Follow UsIt’s not uncommon to find Vrinda Dinesh chilling around with her dogs on a lazy Sunday morning - a far cry from the stereotype that Indian cricketers are fit into.
A big fan of Bangalore and its weather, she exudes the same calm and pleasantness of the city’s climate. It’s no wonder that she prefers just enjoying the game of cricket and going with the flow. It’s what’s worked best for her so far, and there’s no reason to believe this will change.
For someone playing her maiden Women’s Premier League season, the hype and expectations around her seems to be hitting a new peak every day.
And yet, the youngster hardly seems nervous about it. Self-belief rarely seems to desert her.
How else do you explain the calmness while talking about playing in the same team as Alyssa Healy, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahila McGrath, etc. to name a few?
“I'm looking forward to everything. From getting our team jerseys to meeting the players, interacting with them, having our first sessions together, and then enjoying the vibe in Chinnaswamy,” said Vrinda Dinesh in a Cricket.com exclusive.
“So when I'm there (WPL), I'm sure things will also go my way because I think the training has been right ever since. And we've always been training towards that. So it kind of motivates me. It's not that very intimidating, but it's something very exciting to look forward to 100%.”
But where does the confidence come from?
“Shreyanka and I; we train a lot together. During our training, I've always asked questions about how you prepare for the WPL or what happens during the camp. What is it that a few people are doing differently and such things that I keep putting forth? And those things kind of help you prepare also knowing what's coming forth. So that's helped me set in line, expect what's coming, and that's something I'm really looking forward to.”
“We've been practicing for a long time and we do the same things together, whether it's workouts or the way we train. So that kind of motivates me too. And it also tells me that I'm on the right path in terms of how things are going to happen in the WPL.”
While practice does make one better, and that cannot be glossed over, one can also not deny the gift of technique that Vrinda possesses. With most of her cricket not being televised, one saw glimpses of it last November in the T20 series against England A.
In an era where we see players preferring to clear their front leg and targeting the leg side, Vrinda was happy to play each ball on its merit and dished out a sumptuous buffet of lofted offside drives.
Despite that, she maintains a healthy strike rate - a combination that led to her hefty auction price. And when asked, she describes herself as a “conventional player”.
“I love the technique I have. I probably possess the textbook technique, and I love playing 360-degree cricket. But offside probably comes naturally to me and I enjoy playing those shots. I actually look forward to playing it in those games. So I love doing that.”
Make no mistake, Vrinda makes it sound easier than it is.
But this ability to learn and evolve is striking for a 22-year-old.
Another example of it was on display during the recently concluded U23 Women’s ODI Trophy. Captaining Karnataka in the tournament, she played against Mumbai and Andhra before taking a step back and letting the youngsters take over against relatively lesser-known oppositions.
“When I come for such tournaments, I try to help my teammates build, develop, and teach them how the sport is going. Or, probably, when they are bowling, I would ask them to bowl a particular length inside a particular field.
Or whenever I'm batting with someone who is relatively new, I tell them this is the situation we are in, this is what we should be doing, and we can always catch on a little later. There's a lot of time in the 50-over format.”
Again, having represented Karnataka at the age-group level as well, the team is very close to her heart.
Playing in your hometown against the home team is not something everyone looks forward to, but Vrinda is not perturbed by it.
“I'm looking forward to that.”
The short answer is not just an answer; it is a reflection of the kind of player she aspires to be. Simple and assuming, yet competitive.
“We kind of know that the crowd is not going to be behind us. They are going to be supporting RCB. But I'm sure they definitely have a soft spot for me because I'm a Bangalorean who played for Karnataka my entire life.”
The emphasis on “Bangalorean” cannot be missed.
UP Warriorz begin their tournament against the home side, and one can only hope the Bangalorean manages to showcase her skills to the home crowd.
*All images courtesy Vrinda Dinesh's Instagram account (@vrindadinesh_33)
