KURNOOL: The elevation of K Anjali Sarvani, a cricketer from Adoni in Kurnool district, as captain of the Andhra senior women’s one-day cricket team for the 2025–26 season, has made the people of not just Adoni but the entire district proud. For them, it feels like a collective victory, a moment when the dreams of a small town have found way onto the national stage.
What makes Anjali’s story remarkable is not just the title of “captain”, but the journey that led her to success. A year ago, she was staring at the toughest challenge of her career-a severe knee injury that forced her out of cricket. Surgery, months of rehab, and the uncertainty of whether she could ever return haunted her. Many cricketers fade away after such setbacks.
But Anjali refused to let her story end there. At the selection trials in Mysuru, she bowled with the same fire and precision that once earned her an India cap, proving to selectors and to herself that she was back.
Her comeback has been described as ‘phoenix-like’—a rise. Her cricketing journey began in most ordinary ways. As a schoolgirl, she was more into athletics, excelling in running. It was her father, KV Ramanarao, a government school teacher, who nudged her toward cricket after noticing her sporting instincts.
At the Arts College ground in Adoni, young Anjali used to join boys in matches, fearlessly bowling and batting alongside them. That fearlessness became her trademark. Her first coach, B Venkatesh, spotted her talent at Milton Grammar School and began training her seriously. From district-level tournaments to state camps, Anjali’s rise was steady, marked by grit.
Her career graph is dotted with milestones. She represented South India in the Under-19 Super League in Mumbai, played a crucial role in Andhra’s Senior T20 victory in Delhi, and by 2015, had broken into the Under-19 national team.
Leadership seemed to come naturally—she captained Andhra’s Under-19, Under-23, and South India teams, earning respect for her calmness and tactical maturity. In 2022, she wore the India jersey for the first time in a T20 series against Australia, a moment that her parents still recall with tears of joy.
Later, she was picked by UP Warriorz in Women’s Premier League, sharing dressing room with global stars and learning the nuances of leadership at the highest level.
For her parents, Anuradha and Ramanarao, every step of her journey has been a source of pride. “She began by chasing a ball on the local ground, and today she is leading Andhra’s senior team. We are proud beyond words,” they say.
Her coach Venkatesh says “Anjali’s discipline and never-give-up attitude set her apart. Watching her become a captain is a moment of joy not just for me, but for the entire town.” Anjali herself remains grounded. She speaks with gratitude for her parents, coaches, teachers, and the Adoni Taluka Cricket Association. “My ultimate aim is to represent India consistently at the international level,” she says.
From a small-town girl who once bowled on dusty grounds to the captain of Andhra’s senior women’s team, Anjali Sarvani’s story is more than a cricketing achievement. It is a tale of resilience and how dreams nurtured with passion can inspire countless others. For the youth of Adoni and beyond, she is living proof that no setback is final, and that with courage and perseverance, even the most ordinary beginnings can lead to extraordinary heights.