Hailing from Chandani Sharma, the daughter of a barber recently secured a spot in the India ‘A’ Under-19 team for the tri-series featuring the India ‘B’ Under-19 team and South Africa. Speaking more about Chandani Sharma, the youngster showed a natural inclination towards cricket from the age of five, playing enthusiastically in the streets and at home. As she grew older, her passion for cricket intensified, often at the expense of her studies. When she was in class 8, she told her family she wanted to pursue cricket full-time and leave her studies.
Who is cricketer Chandani Sharma?
During her early days, Chandani Sharma’s brother advised the cricketer to at least complete class 10 to meet the requirements for cricket admissions. Following his advice, after her Class 10 board examination, she rushed home and declared that she wouldn’t eat until she was allowed to join a cricket academy. Her father eventually enrolled her at the Northern Railway Stadium.
In a conversation with TOI, Chandani said, “I am happy to be part of the Under-19 India ‘A’ team. This achievement is the result of my family’s and my coaches’ hard work. My father never held me back despite our financial struggles, even though he couldn’t afford my academy fee at first. When he finally took me to the Northern Railway Stadium, he told coaches Priyanka Shaili and Saima Ali that he couldn’t pay but wanted me to learn cricket. Since then, I have been playing at the stadium, and my coaches have been a tremendous help.
Rohit Sharma and Chahal are my favourites: Chandani
“I consider Yuzvendra Chahal my idol and try to emulate his bowling. I also admire Rohit Sharma’s batting style. The NR stadium is about 10 kilometres from my home, and I commute daily by bicycle, which was gifted to me by my father’s friend. I have been training there for the past five years. Coach Saima Ali has worked tirelessly with me, teaching me the nuances of the game that are helping me today. I hope to perform well in the future,” she said.
