India is one match away from securing back-to-back Women’s U19 T20 World Cup titles as they face South Africa in the final in Kuala Lumpur. Gongadi Trisha has been phenomenal in this edition, scoring 265 runs in six innings, at an average of 66.25, and a strike rate of 149.71. Most probably, she is going to finish the tournament as the highest run-scorer.
She became the first player to score a century (vs Scotland) in the tournament’s history and was part of the team that won the previous edition as well. Trisha has been incredibly successful from a very young age across various tournaments, and now, she is making her mark on the biggest stage for her country.
She practices at Hyderabad’s St. John’s Academy, and thanks to the academy’s admin, Mr Leonard (more popularly known as Bunty), we had the opportunity to have an exclusive chat with Trisha’s first coach (and now mentor), Mr P. Srinivas (more popularly known as Srinu Sir).
Currently, he is busy working with the Hyderabad Under-14 men’s state team, which is competing in a tournament. During the conversation, he opened up about the youngster’s journey, the sacrifices made by her parents, Mithali Raj’s valuable advice, Trisha’s ultimate dream, and much more.
Q: How happy are you to see Trisha performing so consistently?
– I am over the moon. It was long overdue for that kid, so there are truly no words to describe it. In fact, I was watching her century on my phone while my Under-14 match was going on. It was truly a fabulous knock.
Q: What do you think about her attacking approach? Did she have that kind of a template even at a young age?
– No, not really. Over time, she developed all of this. Initially, we actually focused on the basics, which you can clearly see in her game now. It has been a wonderful journey with her for almost seven to eight years. Nowadays, it is all about power-hitting, and she gradually developed this skill.
She has worked really hard on it in the last year or two. But I am extremely happy with how well she has come along. Currently, I am mentoring her because she has been attending various camps. Most of the time, she is at the NCA or other camps.
Q: Do you think India should use her bowling more? She is quite good with the ball too.
– Absolutely. She has a unique action, making it very hard to read her bowling. Initially, she used to focus only on her batting, giving respect to all the coaches. But now is the time for her to showcase her bowling as well. You saw her taking three crucial wickets, and she bowled well in the semifinal too.
It will definitely be helpful for the team. My instinct is always to encourage her to step forward for the team’s benefit, not for her own gain. Whenever she gets the ball in her hand, she will definitely deliver and I am fully confident in her ability.
Q: Any stories from her initial days at the academy?
– She started playing cricket when she was about two and a half or three years old if I remember correctly. I am from St. John’s Academy, headed by Mr. John Sir (John Manoj). I remember one day, probably in 2013, Trisha’s family moved to Hyderabad from her hometown, Bhadrachalam because there were no proper facilities there.
When she joined the academy, John Sir told me, ‘Just watch this girl.’ Her father, G.V. Rami Reddy, showed me a few videos. She had that striking power, hitting the ball very hard. So, I made her play in the nets, and within five minutes, I could tell she was full of potential. I told John Sir that she was a girl who was going to make waves.
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My journey with her began there. At just eight years old, she represented Hyderabad Under-16 and finished as the highest scorer in different tournaments. After that, she was selected for Hyderabad based on her performance. Surprisingly, she was also one of the best bowlers in those tournaments, and from then on, she never looked back.
She faced her ups and downs, but I do not want to go into all of that. It is a common trend — once you step forward, people will always try to pull you back in every field. But her parents, especially her father, deserve all the credit. I truly salute both of them.
Q: Can you tell us something about their parents’ contribution?
– I think her father did a fantastic job. Hats off to the gentleman. He was a former fitness trainer with the ITC conglomerate in Bhadrachalam, and Trisha’s mother, Mrs. Madhavi Ram Reddy, was a housewife. Trisha comes from an orthodox middle-class family.
Despite facing many challenges, including financial difficulties, her father made the bold decision to quit his job, and the family moved to Hyderabad. There have been huge sacrifices, and both of them as parents are just brilliant.
Now, with God’s blessing, Trisha has been doing well, but her journey has just begun. The main goal now is to make it to the senior Indian team.
Q: India is facing South Africa in the final, with both teams remaining unbeaten in the tournament. Are you expecting India to defend the title?
– Definitely. I always support my kid’s team. Trisha is like my own child. I did not get the opportunity to speak with her because of the protocol, but I messaged her, and she responded. Hopefully, the cup will come back to our country.
Q: We all know that Trisha idolises the legendary Mithali Raj and considers her an inspiration. There has also been a lot of comparisons, with people saying her shots are very similar to Mithali’s stroke play. How do you view this comparison?
– There is no comparison because Mithali is a legend, and this kid has just started her journey. Of course, Trisha idolises Mithali. During our practice sessions, Mithali used to come to the academy. Mithali is from St. John’s as well, and I used to watch her. Even during her playing days, I would do throw-downs for her in the last 2-3 years, especially while working on shots like the pull-shot and cut-shot.
I remember one tournament in Hyderabad when the national selectors were watching, and Mithali was there too. Trisha took 3-4 wickets and scored around 30 runs. The selectors were considering her for the upcoming series, but it was Mithali who stopped that.
At that time, Mithali was the captain of the Indian team. We had a small chat at St. John’s, and she said, ‘No, this Indian team is not that easy. Once you go in, you should not come back. Let her be firm on her feet.’ It was an advice that proved to be right, and we are all grateful to Mithali. She knows it the best, and we trusted her. I often tell her that she was absolutely right because of her experience. We all believed her and followed her guidance whenever she was around.
Q: Were you a little disappointed that Trisha was not picked for the WPL? Do you think the franchise missed a trick?
– Nobody can stop talent. Definitely, when the right time comes, she will get her opportunities. I have told her one thing — let your bat do the talking, nothing else. People will come to you. There is no need to go to others asking for opportunities; that is not how it works.
Now, she is starting to do that. But I always advise her to keep both feet firmly on the ground, no matter what she does or when she does it. That will definitely help her in the long run. The WPL is temporary; her main goal is much bigger. So, with God’s help, I am sure one day she will be there.
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