Deepti Sharma

With her hair cut short, Deepti was often taken for a boy at her brother's practice sessions. At the Ekalavya Sports Stadium in Agra, she was once asked to return a stray ball, and her unhurried throw struck the stumps. Watching was Hemlata Kala, a former India player who then chaired the BCCI's women's selection panel. Kala asked about the 'boy' and predicted the youngster would one day play for India, a moment that greatly boosted Deepti's belief.

The following years brought setbacks, as state selectors passed her over for being under 15. Kala kept her developing by bringing her to nets at the Railway Camps in Delhi and Allahabad, and former India batter and selector Rita Dey, struck by her enthusiasm, went on to mentor her. Deepti bowled medium pace for much of her early teens before selectors and local coaches persuaded her to try spin, which suited her height and natural release.

Strong showings in state cricket and for the India A side led to her international debut on 28 November 2014 against South Africa at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, in a series decider. India lost, but Deepti returned the second-best bowling figures on her side.

Her standout innings came in May 2017 in Potchefstroom, when, aged 19, she scored 188 against Ireland, at the time the second-highest individual score in Women's ODIs. She and Punam Raut added 320 for the first wicket, becoming the first pair to put on a 300-run partnership in women's cricket. Notably, Deepti had shunned a smartphone even at 18, embracing technology only when told to join the Indian squad's WhatsApp group, which is where she discovered how significant that innings was.