India's pace spearhead Renuka Singh Thakur has opened up about the grueling nine-month rehabilitation from a back stress fracture that tested her resolve, only for her to emerge as a pivotal figure in India's historic 2025 Women's ODI World Cup victory. The Himachal Pradesh bowler, speaking at the Gujarat Giants pre-season press conference, detailed the mental battle and the crucial support that fueled her triumphant return.
The Long Road Back: Injury and Inspiration
Suffering a recurrence of a back stress fracture in December 2024, Renuka entered a difficult phase, unsure of her cricketing future. The injury, which she had first endured two years prior, required extensive rehab at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence. During this challenging layoff, it was India women's team head coach Amol Muzumdar who played a key role in lifting her spirits.
"It was a tough phase. I was in touch with Amol sir. We were preparing for the ODI World Cup," Renuka recalled. "During a long chat, Amol sir told me, 'Don't take tension. What's happened has happened. Nothing can be done about it, don't worry, there is a World Cup coming.' I wasn't willing to accept that my back injury had recurred. Now, I look back and think, 'Those six months were tough, but I couldn't have received a bigger reward.'"
World Cup Final and Celebrations at Home
Her perseverance paid off spectacularly. In the World Cup final on November 3 at the DY Patil Stadium, where India defeated South Africa by 52 runs, Renuka bowled a miserly first spell. She conceded just 28 runs in her eight overs, applying crucial pressure even without taking a wicket. "I seriously never remember my bowling spells; for me, the important thing is that we should win," she quipped.
The victory sparked jubilant celebrations back in her village, Parsa in Bashar, Shimla. "There was a party for 10 days at my home! I’ve a big family, so all the cousins and relatives gather when I’m playing for India," Renuka fondly shared. "I remember calling home after the final; my mom (Sunita Thakur) was so busy celebrating that she didn’t even call me just after we won!"
Life as World Champions and WPL Ambitions
Renuka acknowledged that life has changed for the entire team since lifting the trophy. "We’ve been very busy for the past month, not even getting time for ourselves! Earlier, people wouldn’t recognize us beyond a few big names. However, now everyone is recognizing us. This is a big change and that’s why a trophy win was needed."
Having moved from RCB to Gujarat Giants (GG) for the upcoming Women's Premier League season, the pacer is hungry for more success. "I would like to win the WPL trophy for GG, because I’ve developed a ‘taste’ for winning trophies now! Just like RCB won for the first time and India won the World Cup, I want GG to win for the first time."
The injury ordeal taught her a valuable life lesson: to avoid overthinking the distant future. When asked about India's multi-format tour of Australia in February-March, the 30-year-old said, "I haven't thought that far ahead yet, as there’s no point in overthinking right now." She also revealed her admiration for swing bowlers like Jhulan Goswami, Mohammed Shami, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Gardner's Take: Australia Still the Best
Meanwhile, Australia's Ashleigh Gardner, who will captain Gujarat Giants, reflected on her team's semifinal defeat to India in that World Cup. She confessed the loss was "hard to digest" but asserted her belief that Australia remains the world's best team. "I'm not denying that I still think we're the best team in the world... if we played any team ten times in a row, I would say that we're probably going to win eight or nine times," Gardner stated, acknowledging India's damaging capabilities in high-pressure moments.
In other WPL news, the Gujarat Giants have appointed former England wicketkeeper-batter Sarah Taylor as their new fielding coach for WPL-2026.
