CHENNAI: The memories of November 2, 2025 still lies fresh in Arundhati Reddy's mind. She did not feature in a single match during India's triumphant ODI World Cup campaign, but as fate would have it, she was in the middle of it all when the crowning moment arrived. In the final against South Africa, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur ran behind to complete the final catch and kept running before jumping onto Arundhati who was fielding near the ropes.
Kaur kept saying 'Aru, hum jeet gaye' before they were engulfed by her teammates. But Arundhati holds what happened after very dearly. The all-rounder's mother, Bhagya Reddy, had found her way down from the stands to meet her daughter near the dressing room. "I remember all the family members were in the stands above. I don't know how she came down, but she stopped me and hugged me and said how proud she was of me," Arundhati recalls with a wide grin in a conversation with The New Indian Express.
"All my life, everything I have done, and will continue to do will be for her. To have her there at that moment means everything to me," she adds during the interview facilitated by JioHotstar. That she had her childhood friends in the stands only made it even more special.
For those who know the Reddys, it comes as no surprise. After all, Bhagya, as a single mother, has been with Arundhati every step of the way from the first time she stepped onto the cricket field despite the early opposition from the family members. And that night was life-changing for both mother and daughter purely in terms of recognition.
Before the ODI WC, Bhagya had told this daily about how not many in the apartment they live in knew that Arudhati was an Indian cricketer. It all changed overnight. Despite Arundhati's explicit instructions, Bhagya had arranged for celebrations from the moment she landed in Hyderabad airport. And it only continued all the way to her house. "A lot has changed since. Now, a lot more people are coming home and recognising me. Initially it was challenging as I am not a big fan of big public attention but very grateful for all the support and the growth of women's cricket in the country," she smiles.
Over the next month, Arundhati will have a significant role to play as India gear up for the T20 World Cup in England. And this time, she feels more prepared than ever. "I have played three WCs (three T20 WC, one ODI WC) before, and in the past I probably did not know what I was doing (in terms of understanding her skills and handling the big stage). Now, it feels different. I believe this is the best I have prepared going into a World Cup. The experience of playing in the Women's Premier League, the ODI World Cup winning confidence have allowed me to understand and handle pressure situations," Arundhati says.
"I have also worked extensively on bowling and batting. I have had multiple sessions with Amol (Muzumdar) sir and I feel ready to contribute for the team," she adds.
Starting Sunday, it all will come to the fore as Arundhati will have a key role to play — both in the lower order with the bat and with the ball — in helping India win their first T20 World Cup title.
Catch all the action from ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, June 12-July 5, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network