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Cricket PlayersI’ve worked on batting, want to hone my bowling skills too: Chandigarh cricketer Rajni Devi
Having played for Punjab U-19 team for six times, Rajni has now set her eyes on Punjab U-23 and senior teams this season and is hoping to cement her place.
Since the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2017 was televised, there has been a surge in the fan following of the Indian women’s cricket team. One such fan is 19-year-old Chandigarh leg-spinner Rajni Devi, who now admires and idolizes Indian leg-spinner Poonam Yadav and loves watching her bowling videos on YouTube in pursuit of becoming a better bowler. For someone, who received a state award from UT Administration for leading Chandigarh team to maiden national school games U-19 cricket title back in 2015, cricket has been a way of life since she joined the academy at GMSSS, Sector 26, eight years ago.
Having played for Punjab U-19 team for six times, Rajni has now set her eyes on Punjab U-23 and senior teams this season and is hoping to cement her place.
“I come from a poor background. Cricket has given a meaning and a perspective to my life. I would have been married by now, if I had not tried my luck at cricket. I have worked hard on my batting recently apart from sharpening my bowling skills for the upcoming season. There is a stiff competition for a place in the Punjab U-23 and senior team, keeping that I mind I need to do well with the bat and ball in the Punjab inter-district tournaments,” said Rajni, who can face a tough fight from Amritsar leg-spinner for a place in the Punjab teams.
Life has not been easy for Rajni. A resident of Bapu Dham colony, Rajni lost her father a decade ago and had to depend all through on her two brothers meager income, who sell snacks on a ‘rehri’ in Sector 19 market in Chandigarh. The cricket academy at GMSSS, Sector 26, brought a fresh lease of life and hope in Rajni’s life which turned her life for the good like a few others. She captained Punjab U-19 team thrice and showed her mettle with the ball all six seasons.
“Poverty gripped our family after my father committed suicide. That is when my brothers left studies and started to sell snacks on the roadside for earn a living. When a cricket academy opened up at our school (GMSSS, Sector 26), it gave us a chance to develop cricket skills. Within a year, I was playing for Chandigarh, Punjab and North Zone,” said Rajni, who is also disappointed with UT Administration’s decision to shut down the GMSSS, Sector 26, academy. “It is a bizarre decision from the authorities. Every year I used to push two to three girls to enroll in the academy and try hand at the sport. I don’t know where I will practice now. Other academies in the city are very expensive and girls are not allowed in the Sector 16 Stadium. We were trained at the academy free of cost and given kits too,” informed Rajni, who has been Punjab U-19 team’s back bone for six years.
Heaping praise on Rajni, Punjab senior team coach RP Singh, said, “She has been a good utility cricketer at the junior level for the state. There is lot of competition to bag berth in the senior teams. Rajni should aim to deliver the goods in the inter-district tournaments and make most of the chances. Age is on her side, so she has nothing to lose. She should raise the level of her game this season in order to shine.” Punjab Cricket Association will conduct inter-district tournament in May end.
