Vaishnavi made India debut on December 21, 2026 (X.com/BCCIWomen & vaishnavi_sharma.18)
On Sunday, December 21, the left-arm spinner from Madhya Pradesh, Vaishnavi Sharma, earned her maiden India cap from the Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur. In her debut game, the 20-year-old impressed with figures of 16 runs in 4 overs. Though wicketless, Vaishnavi emerged as the pick of the bowlers for her accuracy and 4-run economy, showcasing a calm demeanor on the biggest stage.
Despite the presence of experienced players like Radha Yadav and Sneh Rana, Vaishnavi has been entrusted with India's first step in preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which will be played in England in June, 2026. That said, let's take a look at who this young gun is and how her performances have earned her the India call-up.
Who is Vaishnavi Sharma? India women's most recent addition to the T20I setup
Born on December 18, 2005, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Vaishnavi Sharma has made headlines by becoming the first player from Chambal to play for the women in blue. Her love for the game began when she was just 4 years old.
Honing her skills at the Tansen Cricket Academy in Gwalior, Vaishnavi has been a prominent name in Madhya Pradesh cricket for the past few years.
Delivering her best for MP, she won the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for Best Woman Cricketer in the junior domestic season in 2022–23.
In India women's 1st of the five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, Vaishnavi made her debut for the national team, joining fellow state player Kranti Gaud, whose performances in the recent World Cup already drew wide attention.
India's ace in Women's U19 T20 World Cup 2025 win
Vaishnavi received her first breakthrough as a member of the Indian Under-19 team that won the Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year.
Vaishnavi finished as the leading wicket-taker at the U-19 Women’s World Cup with 17 scalps. Her commendable run in the marquee event earned her a spot on the ICC U19WC 2025 team of the tournament.
Moreover, she has continued her fine form on the domestic circuit, claiming 21 wickets in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy and a tournament-high 12 wickets from five games in the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal T20s.
Ignored in WPL 2026; Now a part of India's T20 World Cup plan
Riding a consistent run in the age-group World Cup, naturally, Vaishnavi hoped to earn a Women's Premier League deal in the 2026 auction. However, in a shocking turn of events, despite a base price of 10 lakh INR, no franchises showed interest in the young left-arm spinner.
Nonetheless, the future is bright for Vaishnavi, as she received her much-deserved India call-up in the shortest format. Notably, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has indicated that the series is being used to give opportunities to emerging players.
Thus, her inclusion in the squad shows that she has been seen as a potential talent that the national selectors and team management wish to back.
