Media365
BENGALURU: Eleven months is a long time — even longer in sport. It was a period that nearly derailed young all-rounder Shreyanka Patil’s career.Rehabilitation replaced matchdays, and recovery milestones mattered more than wickets. Yet the prolonged time away from the field also brought with it important life lessons.Having missed key moments with both the Indian team and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Shreyanka is set to return in RCB colours this week as the Women’s Premier League (WPL) season gets underway.The 23-year-old opened up about the grind behind her comeback and the lessons the injury taught her during a virtual media interaction on Wednesday.“I thought it was just a one-off injury and I’d be back in a couple of months. I never imagined I would be away from the field for more than a year,” Shreyanka said. “Missing out on the WPL was a big blow, and then missing the World Cup hurt me a lot.”The injury, however, allowed the Karnataka player to interact with several cricketers, including Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav. Shreyanka recalled picking Bumrah’s brains on the sidelines of a session at the Centre of Excellence (CoE).Shreyanka found an unlikely source of strength in Bumrah’s words, drawn from his own battles with time away from the game. His advice on patience, trusting the process, and not rushing the body helped her navigate the toughest phase of recovery.“He told me, ‘It’s okay — what you’re going through, everyone will go through. You’re facing this at a very young age. Don’t fight it — just be in it,” Shreyanka said. “That was lovely advice, because he’s also gone through a lot.”Shreyanka returned to the field after 11 months last September, turning out for the Barbados Royals in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League. She described the moment as a fresh beginning.“I was excited. When I bowled the first ball, I said, ‘I’m fine now.’ All my nerves eased down,” she recalled.Shreyanka also spoke about her reaction to being retained by RCB. “I was at a loss for words. I was shocked because they placed their trust in someone who hadn’t played for almost a year,” she said.Although RCB will play all their matches away from their home ground, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, this season, Shreyanka believes fan support will remain unwavering. “Wherever we go, we have our fans,” she signed off.RCB will take on the Mumbai Indians in the tournament opener on Jan 9 in Mumbai.
