UP Warriorz' Vrinda Dinesh is constantly learning from her idols in the franchise's camp in Bengaluru ahead of the second season of the Women's Premier League.
DH Photo/ BH Shivakumar
Bengaluru: Vrinda Dinesh, 22, has a clarity of thought. It is plainly evident in the way she answers questions and is measured in the words she uses.
Akin to her articulate nature, Vrinda's ability to pick the right moments to up the scoring ante and her shot selection was what landed her a Women's Premier League contract with UP Warriorz for a whopping Rs 1.3 crore, and a spot amongst her idols.
The Bengaluru girl, who has been prolific with the bat over the last two years in domestic cricket and for India A, is waiting to burst onto the scene.
"I was known as a Test player, and changing the way that I played was something I wanted to work on. I have a more aggressive approach at the moment and I have worked on this for a couple of years," Vrinda told DH on Monday.
"The Warriorz camp has been going on for a week now, and it has been quite enjoyable. Currently, I am working on executing a few shots more consistently," Vrinda said.
"There is a lot of emphasis on fielding. We believe that fielding can win a lot of games. There is always support from the coaches and the franchise and that gives us the push to go ahead and give our best," Vrinda added.
When asked how she plans on dealing with the price tag pressure, Vrinda's firm response was, "I have had a talk with our franchise. The money has nothing to do with this. I am here to play the game the right way and looking forward to winning games to UP Warriorz."
But Vrinda admitted that she was in disbelief when one of her team-mates broke her the news.
"I was training when I heard one of my friends say to a teammate that I was picked for Rs 1.3 crore. I always thought it was 1.3 lakh.
"When I learnt that it was Rs 1.3 crore, I was stuck, it did not seep in! All I wanted to do was play the WPL, but I never expected anything this big. I did not know what to do, it took a long time for me to process it."
With a large chunk of the WPL being held in Bengaluru, Vrinda mentioned that she is eager to experience the Chinnaswamy atmosphere and energy.
"I have always been in the Chinnaswamy and always dreamt of playing in such an atmosphere. Now that I am here, I want to experience that vibe and everything that people bring in. Really looking forward to that energy."
Following an eliminator exit in the inaugural edition, the UP Warriorz have a strong squad for the second season, and look well-rounded. For Vrinda, picking the brain of her idols like Alyssa Healy and Chamari Athapaththu has been a dream come true moment.
"We have a lot of experienced players, everyone has done it for their respective countries, and probably how the franchise is built, it is nice to know that anyone can win games for UP Warriorz.
"It is a big part of the dream that I have always dreamt of. Sharing the dressing room and rubbing shoulders with everyone in the team, there is a lot of learning.
"The other day we had a scenario, when I was batting with Danni (Wyatt), and she gave me a lot of situations and showed me an easier way to bat. That did make an impact on me.
"I also love that they have different approaches. I saw Chamari Athapaththu bat yesterday and (Sophie) Ecclestone bowl. They come in with a lot of energy and that motivates us and makes us look forward to play. I also want to develop those things watching from them," Vrinda offered.
Vrinda spoke glowingly about the emerging cricketing talent in Karnataka, and the role she plays in shaping their career trajectories as the captain of the U-23s.
"The entire Karnataka team, be it the juniors or the seniors, are equally talented. There is a lot of emerging talent in the upcoming youngsters.
"In U-23, when people ask me for opinions or how to approach game situations, I always tell them pieces of advice and there is a lot of positive talks. It helps build a lot of things in us youngsters, and that is something I try to do for the U-23 Karnataka team.
"I think they have learnt something from it and I am sure they will inculcate it in the future," Vrinda said.
When quizzed about who pushed her to take cricket professionally, Vrinda revealed that it was her father who backed her to the hilt.
"It was probably back in 2013-14, when I was playing gully cricket on the streets, my dad wanted me to take the sport professionally. He was a cricketer himself, with a few cousins and uncles that also used to play cricket. It was my dad who pushed me to take this professionally, but we all gave it some time, and my parents were very supportive, which I am grateful for."