Pratika Rawal: How a father’s dream led to Women’s World Cup

As Pratika rose through the age groups, she caught the attention of her coach, former Indian player Deepti Dhyani.

“I saw him play a few times and realized he had talent. Most state-level players have talent; the challenge is to translate that for professional cricket. That’s where we as coaches come in,” says Deepti.

“He stood out because when you asked him to work on something, he checked every box, even if you weren’t watching.”

Deepti also emphasized on the topic of fitness, which Pratika has embraced since her childhood.

“We often think that working out in the gym means building big muscles, but it’s all about avoiding injuries. Luckily, Pratika understood this well and improved her fitness significantly,” says Deepti.

Even as cricket became her focus, Pratika did not neglect her studies. He earned a degree in psychology, which helped him understand the mental side of the game.

“He was in the ninth grade when he became interested in psychology, so he decided to study it in college,” his father says.

“Psychology plays an important role in cricket. When you’re batting, trying to read what the bowler is thinking or why they’re picking a particular area helps you analyze situations better. It’s been really helpful for him.”

It’s this out-of-the-box thinking that gives Pratika a skill that’s also useful off the field: she can solve a Rubik’s cube.

“There is an algorithm to this,” Pratika said in a social media video. “The middle pieces don’t move, so you have to move everything around them.”

It’s easy, or so it seems, Pratika.