CHENNAI: When C Prathyusha came out of the 2024-25 season without playing a single T20 game for Karnataka, the leg-spinning all-rounder felt stuck. She had come into the season as the leading wicket-taker for the state the previous year and was keen to make an impact for the team. However, when that did not happen, the all-rounder, who played for India in 2021, felt she had to take a leap of faith and decide where her cricket career was headed.
That is when the opportunity to play for Pondicherry came along. She knew she needed a fresh start to make her mark and stake her claim for the Women's Premier League as well as the Indian team. "If I stayed, I felt that I wouldn't be able to get the opportunity that I'm looking forward to," Prathyusha recalls thinking about the most important decision she had to take. "WPL was my main aim, even when playing there also. So, that is the main reason I wanted to make sure I get to play. So, I have to try something different. And definitely, there's an element of risk involved. But I felt that it was worth the risk. Because it should be like, I go and then help the other team win, or else, I just stay here and wait for my opportunity. So, I thought I'd take that risk," she adds.
However, having played all her cricket in Karnataka, it was not an easy decision to make. Prathyusha admitted she got an unexpected India call-up and debut in 2021. Then, she was left out, waiting for her chance till 2022 before an injury pulled her back. Not getting a chance to play after coming back and performing became the last straw. So when her coach, Arjun Dev, at the NICE Cricket Academy, suggested that she take a leap of faith, Prathyusha felt it was time.
"Actually, my parents were scared. Because they always used to tell me, like, home is the best, this thing. Like, if you go to any other place, there will be a lot of difficulties. Not only opportunities, but it is also like staying there, getting adjusted to that place. There are a lot of things that come into play when we go to another state. But, finally, I also convinced them that for my career betterment, I have to take that risk."
Once the decision to move was taken, fellow leggie and India spinner S Asha suggested her regarding an opening in Pondicherry, and it did not take long before Prathyusha secured that spot. She played a few selection matches and in a few days, Prathyusha was all set to play for Pondicherry as a guest player. For someone who made her India debut at a young age, this was Prathyusha starting from scratch, trying to climb the ladder again. It had been a rough road for her since the injury in 2022-23, both on the cricket and fitness front.
"When I started working with Arjun sir, it made a lot of difference. He just made something very clear. Like, if I have to play higher level, if I have to play WPL, this is how it should be. The way you work, the way you perform. It is not like before. Cricket is moving ahead. The first thing he told me was fitness. If you have to be good at this thing, fielding is a must. So, you have to be quicker on the field. You have to shed weight. I think from there, credit goes to him and my trainer. Because they both have followed up, worked a lot on my fitness, my skills. I also changed my bowling action a bit. When you are physically more fit, I feel automatically you are in a better mental state any day. If you have a good fitness level, you feel lighter on your feet. And it actually adds to your confidence. You feel much confident that on the field you can move faster. You can actually deliver. And you don't get tired too quickly, as you used to before. So, all these things added a lot to my confidence this year," she explained.
And it all reflected in her performance for Pondicherry. She not just played a crucial role but also captained the team that finished third in the group. They went on to beat Saurashtra, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Bengal with Prathyusha scoring 150 runs and taking six wickets. Her performance, which included a match-winning 49-ball 82 vs Maharashtra, earned Prathyusha a call-up for the interzonal T20 tournament. "Here, I actually had the entire freedom to take the team through. They were like, 'whatever you do, you have to make sure that the team wins'. I started finding my way to make sure that the team does better. Like, what can I add to this batting or the bowling line, and I was also leading the team. It just added to my confidence that they are giving me the entire responsibility, and I had the freedom to do it. If a small team does well, it just catches eyes, and the people are eager to know how it is done. Winning is the currency," says Prathyusha.
"I am very grateful for that opportunity (to play for South Zone). Because it has been a while since I have played at a higher level, more in the state. So, maybe in the 2021 season, I played the challengers. So, this year, I thought I was very lucky that I took that call to move to Pondicherry, get those opportunities. I was able to do something for the team, which is most important. When you go to some other team, if you don't create an impact, then I feel there is no use or no point in going," she adds.
Asked if she could describe the last four years, Prathyusha said that it was a roller-coaster. "There are a lot of different things that have happened in the last four years. There has been a series of highs and then lows. I had to take some brave calls, go to another state, and make sure I delivered for them. I feel like I have learnt in these two years; to manage myself or my work ethics, my diet, for example, which has been the main thing. My trainer, who has been by my side the entire three years, when I was not at my highest level of confidence. I think the players there are really helpful. That is what I realised. For me, staying at Pondicherry was definitely not easy. Moving from home, staying there, and doing regular camps. Luckily, I found a few friends whom I could rely upon."
While there 50-over tournaments are yet to come, for now Prathyusha's eyes will be on the WPL auction in New Delhi on Thursday. "Actually, this is something I have been waiting for three years (to play WPL). But I feel this season has gone really well, and I have the best chance to make it to one of the franchises. Again, three years I have seen how the auction dynamics work. So, it is not really that easy to tell that yes or no. But hopefully, it will be good," she signed off.
