Rajeshwari Gayakwad has spoken about her disappointment at being left out of the Indian women’s team. The Karnataka spinner has taken 99 ODI wickets and wants to know why she has not received another opportunity. The 35-year-old last played for India in 2024, during the home Test against <a href="https://cricket.international/tony-de-zorzi-returns-as-south-africa-announce-squad-for-bangladesh-tests/" title="Tony de Zorzi returns as South Africa announce squad for Bangladesh Tests”>South Africa. She suffered a serious knee injury in that match and was away from cricket for six months. Her last ODI appearance was in 2022, while she last played a T20I in 2023.
Rajeshwari said the knee surgery was the only major injury in her career. After recovering, she was asked to play domestic cricket and India A matches to prove her fitness. However, she said she was not given another chance to return to the national side. She questioned why injured players today seem to return to the team in the very next series. “Nowadays, if a player gets injured, they find a place in the team in just the next series. If you take my injury history, I’ve had just one major injury, the knee surgery. After that, I wasn’t given a chance.”
She is particularly upset about being left one wicket short of 100 in ODIs. Completing the milestone is important to her because it was her father’s dream. He passed away around the time she made her India debut, and she described him as her only supporter. “I was also left hanging at 99 ODI wickets. People get chances to get to the 100-mark, why not me?” Rajeshwari asked. She questioned why she had not been given the chance to take that final wicket.
She has tried to understand why she was dropped but says she has received no clear response. When she was outside the team, she attempted to contact the captain and coach, but her calls went unanswered. “I have many questions, but who will answer them? I just want to know the reason for not selecting me.” She also said age was not the reason and wanted an honest explanation. “Age is not a factor here, tell me the real reason.”
Rajeshwari also pointed to her performances in the Women’s Premier League and domestic cricket. She said she had performed well in the WPL and had been the highest wicket-taker in domestic cricket, yet was not kept in the zone or given challenges to prove herself. She questioned what more was expected of her and whether assumptions were being made about her. She also raised concerns about support and favouritism, saying she had built her career through hard work rather than depending on influential people.
She spoke about her father’s support and the fact that he was no longer there to see her career continue. Rajeshwari said she had never liked chasing people for opportunities and had worked on her own. She also suggested that players with strong connections could be preferred, leaving others behind. She described that possibility as sad and said she wanted to understand why she had been treated differently. Her comments showed her frustration with the selection process and the lack of answers she says she has received.
Despite her disappointment, Rajeshwari remains active in domestic cricket. She is currently representing Karnataka in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy Elite and will also play in the upcoming Women’s Premier League. Gujarat Giants retained her ahead of the new season. She has questioned why she was not given the same return-to-play opportunities that she believes are available to other injured players. Her next appearances will come in domestic competition and the WPL, while her India career remains on hold.
Rajeshwari’s concerns are centred on her absence from the national team, the chances offered to other players after injuries and the communication she says she did not receive. With 99 ODI wickets, she remains one short of a milestone that carries personal meaning because of her father. She has asked for a clear reason behind her exclusion and believes her performances should have kept her in contention. As she continues with Karnataka and Gujarat Giants, she is still hoping for an answer and the opportunity to complete her 100-wicket target.
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Source: femalecricket.com
