Cricket Editorial Indian Cricket

‘Rested’ Pooja Vastrakar playing in Senior Women’s T20 Trophy

October 26, 2024
<a href="https://revsportz.in/author/snehasis/" rel="author" class="url fn n" itemprop="url"><img alt='' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/11ab132806a19925cd2a1f12aac66bf1?s=32&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/11ab132806a19925cd2a1f12aac66bf1?s=64&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-32 photo' height='32' width='32' decoding='async'/> <span class="" itemprop="name">Snehasis Mukherjee</span></a>
Pooja Vastrakar with straps during the T20 World Cup 2024
Pooja Vastrakar with straps during the T20 World Cup 2024 (PC: X)

Pooja Vastrakar missed several matches in the recent Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE due to fitness concerns. During many practice sessions, she was often seen performing fitness stretches and drills, sometimes with knee and ankle straps, raising doubts about her availability.

When India’s squad for the ODI series against New Zealand was announced, Pooja was excluded, with the BCCI releasing a statement, saying “rested for the series”. It appeared that the team was allowing her time to recover from her recent injuries, which seemed reasonable for a player working to regain full fitness. Yet, surprisingly, Pooja has been playing in the ongoing Senior Women’s T20 Trophy for her domestic side, Madhya Pradesh.

So far, Pooja has played in Madhya Pradesh’s last two games in the tournament, against Punjab and Rajasthan. She bowled three overs, conceding 21 runs without a wicket against Rajasthan, and scored an unbeaten 37 against Punjab. This raised immediate questions among fans and followers – if she is supposed to be resting, why is she actively participating in a domestic competition?

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Pooja Vastrakar's performances in Senior Women's T20 Trophy
Pooja Vastrakar’s performances in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy (PC: X)

In the T20 World Cup opener against New Zealand, Pooja bowled only one over. When asked if she was dealing with an injury, India’s bowling coach, Aavishkar Salvi, denied any issues, saying Pooja was underused simply to ensure plenty of bowling options. After that match, she sat out in games against Pakistan and Sri Lanka before returning against Australia in Sharjah, where she took one wicket. Even then, she seemed to struggle with her rhythm and was seen wearing knee and ankle straps in practice.

Given the BCCI’s decision to rest her, Pooja’s participation in the domestic tournament has left fans questioning whether the Board is aware of her involvement. The situation has led to a sense of confusion and curiosity, with supporters rightfully seeking clarification on whether Pooja is truly fit and why she is playing despite being rested.

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