HYDERABAD: When 17-year-old V Prathiksha arrived in Hyderabad on Thursday after returning from a training camp at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, she was greeted with the news that she had earned a spot in India’s U-19 ODI squad for the white-ball series against Sri Lanka. The announcement left her overjoyed.
“I was delighted when I learned that I had been selected for the Sri Lanka tour. This is just the start. My dream is to represent the country. However, my immediate goal is to perform well in the opportunities I receive and secure a place in next year’s T20 World Cup,” said the batting all-rounder.
Prathiksha’s journey in cricket began at the age of nine, inspired by her brother Rahul Vardhan, who also played the sport. She subsequently joined the St John’s Cricket Academy for structured coaching. Her progress was rapid, as she was picked for the state U-15 team in 2022 and later made her U-19 debut in December 2024. She finished among the top four run-scorers in the competition, drawing attention by amassing 350 runs in the U-19 BCCI tournament for the state, including two centuries: 114 against Jammu & Kashmir and 100 against Himachal Pradesh. She has also represented the state U-23 team. Her strong performance in the U-19 tournament led to a call-up to the national camp a month ago. Now, those results have secured her first selection for the national side.
Prathiksha was born in Puducherry in 2008, but her family relocated to Hyderabad later that year because her mother, Shanmuga Priya, works as an ENT specialist with the South Central Railway. Her father, R Venkatesh, is a software engineer. The Intermediate second-year Bi.P.C. student at St John’s College is determined to use this opportunity to edge closer to her dream.
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About the Author: Shiva Krishna Gundra is a Special Digital Content Creator, Sports, with the Times of India. He writes on cricket, tennis, badminton, boxing and other disciplines. A fitness enthusiast and a passionate athlete himself, he dives deep into stories to explore all the possible angles for comprehensive coverage.
