Senior Indian women cricketer Shikha Pandey‘s omission from the Indian team for the upcoming white-ball series against Bangladesh has left many surprised, considering the packed schedule ahead for the team. Shikha, one of the more experienced players in the Indian setup, had an impressive season with the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL), finishing as the leading wicket-taker and helping her team secure the top spot in the league and reach the finals.
This is not the first time Shikha has been left out of the Indian side without any official explanation. Despite making a comeback to the Indian team for the T20 World Cup earlier this year in South Africa, she was unexpectedly excluded from the central contract and has now been overlooked for the ODIs and T20Is in Bangladesh.
During a recent interview with former Indian head coach WV Raman at Sportstar, Shikha became emotional when discussing her non-selection. Expressing her frustration and anger, she stated, “If I say I’m not frustrated and angry, then I’m not a human being. It’s difficult when you don’t get the results for the work that you have put in. I’m sure there’s some reason behind it which I do not know. What’s in my hands is hard work, and I’m a firm believer in hard work. So it’s just about working hard until I am mentally and physically fit.”
The right-arm pacer highlighted the importance of having supportive mentors during challenging phases of her career and expressed gratitude to Raman for his guidance. Shikha revealed that she had contemplated walking away from cricket when she was dropped from the team, but was advised to give herself more time as it was an emotional period. She acknowledged that there is still plenty of cricket left in her and expressed her determination to continue playing the sport as long as she enjoys it.
“When I was dropped, I thought walking away from cricket was the right thing to do. Then it was suggested that it was an emotional period and I needed to give myself more time. You thought I still had a lot of cricket left in me, and I should play until the time I enjoy the sport. I’m disappointed right now, but the situation I’m put in is out of my control, the decisions I take to get out of it are completely in my hands,” added Shikha.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
