Meet Vaishnavi Sharma — India Women’s latest T20I entrant. Here’s everything you need to know about her cricketing journey.
In Indian cricket, a richly woven tapestry of emerging talent, Vaishnavi Sharma has burst into the senior spotlight as one of the latest young stars entrusted with carrying forward the nation’s storied legacy in women’s cricket. A left-arm orthodox spinner whose rise has been propelled by consistent performances at every level, Vaishnavi earned her maiden T20I cap for India in December 2025 despite not yet securing a contract in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
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Genesis in Gwalior with early cricket pulse
Vaishnavi Narendra Sharma was born in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, on December 18, 2005. She did not play or train anywhere near the glittering lights of some of the world’s largest stadiums, yet her cricketing heritage has a long and storied past. In the early days of playing cricket, Vaishnavi showed a great deal of ability and talent that translated into consistent development and success. Vaishnavi began training at a very young age at the Tansen Cricket Academy, where she developed her fundamental skills, discipline, and match experience under professional coaching.
She is mainly known as a left-arm orthodox spinner, but can also bat as a lower-order left-handed batter. Vaishnavi’s bowling style has accuracy and precision through subtle changes and maintaining consistent lengths when under pressure, making this her strength in domestic and junior-level cricket.
Dominance in U-19 cricket & domestic circuits
Vaishnavi Sharma’s rise in popularity increased significantly after the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20I World Cup held in 2025, when she played an important role in India winning the tournament. Her figures at that tournament were nothing short of spectacular – she finished as the leading wicket-taker with 17 dismissals, showcasing both spin craft and tenacity in high-pressure situations. Furthermore, her performances throughout the tournament were such that she was chosen as one of the best players of the tournament.
As far as domestic numbers are concerned, her accomplishments at home further strengthen that story. She was the leading wicket-taker for the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, with 21 wickets. This was complemented by another strong showing in the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal T20s, where she took 12 wickets in just five games. Both sets of statistics demonstrate her ability to perform across all formats and competitions, consistent with her past performance.
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Surprising India call-up despite WPL setback
Cricket in India is experiencing significant change, particularly owing to the Women’s Premier League (WPL), providing domestic players with the opportunity to showcase their talents and compete with some of the best players in the country. Unfortunately, for the time being, Vaishnavi was still not able to experience this level of exposure because she was not selected by any franchise in any of the WPL seasons, while her peers were.
Despite this setback, it further increased her excitement about her opportunity with India’s national team. In December 2025, India’s selectors picked her in the 15-member squad for the five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. This series was a key step towards preparing for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England and bridging the gap from the ODI World Cup victory.
Her senior debut occurred on December 21, 2025, when she became a T20I player after debuting against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam. It marked the recognition of her abilities as she built on the momentum from the successful organisational structure under which she had been developed.
Road ahead: opportunity & expectation
Vaishnavi Sharma’s career demonstrates the highs and lows in the pathways for development in women’s cricket. From an exciting player as a youth and performing well domestically, to representing India internationally at a key time for women’s cricket in India, it is clear that her performance at a high level has outweighed the franchise’s ‘marketing’ potential with zero experience under her belt.
As India prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup, Vaishnavi Sharma’s role may evolve again, depending on which experienced players and younger players are competing for positions. Her ability to adapt and provide consistent performances on the highest level will be crucial. Currently, she is gaining valuable experience through tight overs, strategic thinking, and situational awareness, which will likely position her as a mainstay in India’s spin attack.
As a promising young spinner from Madhya Pradesh who has recently made her T20I debut with the India Women’s National team, Vaishnavi Sharma embodies what has become the new-age template for discovering talent in modern Indian cricket, through the combination of hard work, perseverance and raw talent. As she begins to write the next chapter in her career, fans of the sport will be eager to see if this left-arm orthodox bowler can build on the success she had at the U-19 level and in the domestic game to develop into an elite player on the international stage.
𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹-𝗨𝗽 🇮🇳
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) December 21, 2025
Vaishnavi Sharma narrates the moments leading to her dreams coming true ❤️
Including the jersey reveal to her parents 🤗
WATCH 🎥🔽 – By @mihirlee_58 #TeamIndia | #INDvSL | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/soMSewkA76
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