Cricket: Anjali Sarvani keen to make up for lost time after return from injury

Anjali Sarvani has been eagerly waiting for October. It is when the left-arm fast bowler will mark her return to competitive cricket after a long injury layoff, when she plays for Railways at the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy.

The 27-year-old from Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh last played in March, when she featured for the UP Warriorz at the 2024 Women’s Premier League. But that was a tournament that saw her make only four appearances as she suffered a series of injuries that have sidelined her.

Those tough days away from the sport, she said, still come to her mind as she takes a cautious few steps back onto the field.

“Injuries are always at the back of my mind especially when I feel a small pain,” said Sarvani in a conversation with Scroll in Lucknow. “But on the field, I don’t let it stop me from playing. I’m getting better at managing it and with a few more games, I’ll feel fully confident again.”

During the Railways selections last year, Sarvani was dealing with a knee issue, but chose to push through it. She made the cut for the Bangladesh tour, but in hindsight, believes that she should have addressed her injury earlier.

That decision to play through the pain landed her for rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for eight months.

“It was tough watching others play while I was sidelined and coming back felt like starting all over again,” said Sarvani, on the sidelines of a local activation programme alongside UP Warriorz team vice-captain Deepti Sharma and team-mate Saima Thakor.

“Just before the WPL, I also suffered a shoulder strain but fortunately, it wasn’t a back injury which would have been far worse for a fast bowler,” she added.

She is happy that her return to the game is in a domestic T20 competition as she feels the format suits her game better. She claimed that her goal is to pick up wickets aplenty and help the Railways reclaim the title they lost last season.

Before heading back to the grind at the Punjab camp in preparation for the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, Sarvani took time to speak with school and college students in Lucknow about women's cricket and the importance of inclusivity in sports.

Comfort during time away

In the 2022-23 Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, Sarvani emerged as the highest wicket-taker, claiming 17 wickets in 10 innings. She was also the joint-highest wicket-taker in the Senior Womens Inter Zonal T20 with 10 wickets from 6 innings.

Her stellar domestic performance earned her a spot with the Warriorz and a call-up to the Indian women’s cricket team.

So far, she has represented India in five T20Is, taking three wickets, and has claimed six wickets in 13 matches across two WPL editions.

However, it will be a while before she returns to action for either the Warriorz or the national team.

During her time at the National Cricket Academy, she put in the work for the next time as she trained under the guidance of Australian bowling coach Troy Cooley.

He helped hone in on technical flaws and introduced new variations to her bowling, crucial for adapting to the flatter Indian pitches.

Additionally, she worked on power hitting, a key skill for her as she often bats in the final overs, where boundary-hitting is essential.

But through the gruelling few months where she waited on the sidelines, she drove around in Bengaluru to give herself a little break, mentally.

“It was a great decision to take my car there,” said Sarvani. “I’d go on long drives when I felt down. I’d drive to Mysore or even my hometown. It gave me the alone time I needed to clear my mind.”

Sarvani also had the support of her UP Warriorz teammates Thakor and S Yashasri during her injury who helped keep her in a good space mentally.

Sarvani, a Swiftie – a devoted fan of American pop star Taylor Swift – has grown up listening to her music, which had a calming effect on her during her recovery as well.

Other than that, a big source of inspiration for her is her India team-mate all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar’s journey. Vastrakar too has had her fair share of recurring issues including knee injuries and stress fractures which had sidelined her for significant periods.

“I relate a lot to Pooja [Vastrakar] because she’s also from a small town and has dealt with many injuries, yet she keeps coming back stronger,” said Sarvani. “I’ve seen her struggle but she always gives the Indian team hope.”

Back to the start

Sarvani’s recent injuries ruled her out of contention for both the South Africa Tour of India, the India Tour of Bangladesh and the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, a tough blow given the increasing competition among Indian fast bowlers.

Sarvani claimed that there was a possibility of overcomplicating her approach to the game. But that changed recently, when Warriorz bowling coach Ashley Noffke simplified the strategy for her. He helped her improvise her bowling to make it more efficient.

“His strategies were clear and he encouraged me to try new things on the field which often worked,” said Sarvani.

The approach is changing and her knowledge of the game has increased rapidly.

But her entry into the sport altogether happened by chance – she was competing in the 100m sprint event nationally when she was 12.

A school teacher had once asked her to join a summer camp where they had multiple options such as athletics, cricket and football. Sarvani picked cricket randomly and by the end of that one-month camp, the coach told her that she had something special and that she must continue.

“I debated with my dad telling him I preferred athletics but he insisted on cricket because he saw a future in it even before it was as popular as it is now,” said Sarvani. “Eventually, I went for the trials and seeing so many girls playing cricket was a revelation to me.

“It was different from athletics which was more individualistic. Cricket felt like a team effort and I liked that.”

However, what were once light-hearted debates with her father have now taken on a more serious tone, with him understandably more concerned about her injuries after the lost time and missed opportunities.

“Now, he doesn’t even watch my matches because he’s too scared,” said Sarvani of her father Ramana.

She remains unfazed though. Her focus is not on the past but on what lies ahead.

Sarvani is eagerly anticipating her return to the field, where on October 17, she’ll don her Railways jersey again as they face Haryana in Lucknow, ready to make up for lost time.