Gautami became the first uncapped Indian to score a half-century in the WPL..
| Photo Credit: X@WPLT20
Gautami Naik’s debut for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League came against UP Warriorz at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on January 12. Having watched the first three seasons from afar, this was an opportunity on the big stage for the 27-year-old that had taken a fair share of time and toil.
No longer than a week later, against Gujarat Giants at the Kotambi Stadium on Monday, Gautami became the first uncapped Indian to score a half-century in the WPL. That she was asked to lead the RCB players off the field after victory — a sweet gesture from skipper Smriti Mandhana — was the cherry on top.
Gautami’s knock of 73 (55b, 7×4, 1×6) on Monday demonstrated her maturity. “We had been working for 12-13 years for a moment like this. Yesterday’s innings vindicated that hard work,” Gautami’s coach, Avinash Shinde, told The Hindu on Tuesday.
For Gautami to rise from the obscurity of domestic cricket, where she has played for Nagaland, Baroda and Maharashtra, is a testament to her perseverance. Belonging to Pune, she switched to Nagaland in 2021 with help from Poonam Khemnar, who is also trained by Shinde, when a chance to break into Maharashtra’s senior team appeared remote.
The turning point, according to Shinde, arrived in 2023 when former Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More was commentating on a women’s exhibition game in the Maharashtra Premier League (MPL). With Gautami, who by now had left Nagaland, showing spark, More got in touch and facilitated a move to Baroda as well as a trial with Mumbai Indians.
Having returned to Maharashtra ahead of the 2025-26 season, opening the batting with Smriti for Ratnagiri Jets in the MPL was another pivotal step in Gautami’s long-awaited ambition to taste the big league. Now that she is there, it is up to Gautami to keep making the most of this opportunity.
Published – January 20, 2026 06:38 pm IST
