Pooja Vastrakar reveals how RCB helped her regain confidence amid injury struggles

Indian all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar has said that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has strongly supported her during a difficult phase marked by injury concerns. Last year, RCB picked Vastrakar in the Women’s Premier League mega auction while she was still recovering from a shoulder injury.

She sustained the injury during the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, after which she underwent surgery in March 2025. As a result, she missed the entire 2025 WPL season and was later released by Mumbai Indians despite being one of the leading pace-bowling all-rounders in the country.

RCB then acquired her in the auction for Rs 85 crore, boosting her potential despite her fitness issues. Vastrakar revealed that the franchise did not pressure her to resume bowling immediately. Instead, they focused on utilizing her batting ability and allowed her time to ease back into a full bowling load, giving her confidence and space during the comeback phase.

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“They spoke to me very simply and told me that if my bowling is not going as expected, that’s fine. They said, ‘You’re an all-rounder, we need your bat.’ This assurance gave me a lot of confidence and they supported me throughout the tournament,” Vastrakar told India Today in an interview given by the Madhya Pradesh Premier League.

“Absolutely. Everyone there, not just Anya (Shrubsole) but even our head coach (Malolan Rangarajan) and Smriti (Mandhana) are very established at this level. They’ve all dealt with injuries at some point in their careers so they understand what it takes to get a player back,” said Vastrakar.

FOCUS, FITNESS, PERFORMANCE

For Vastrakar, the shoulder injury was not the only setback that deterred her from the game. She also tweaked her hamstring just two days before being released from the BCCI’s Center of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, forcing her to miss the first two weeks of WPL 2026 for RCB.

Even after her return, she did not appear to bowl or bat in the two matches in which she appeared. Reflecting on her journey, Vastrakar said challenges and frustrations are part of cricket and help players learn to deal with the ups and downs.

She added that her current focus is on fitness, managing her body and improving her performance through consistent hard work and discipline.

“There are always some challenges and some frustration too but at the same time you learn a lot from them. Cricket is a game that comes with many ups and downs and it makes you realize how to deal with different challenges,” said Vastrakar, who plays for Chambal Ghariyals.

“I’m not particularly focused on any particular thing right now. I’m mainly focused on my body, fitness and performance. I’m focused on the hard work needed to improve in those areas. That’s where all my focus and motivation lies,” Vastrakar added.

VASTRAKAR IS NOT AFRAID OF INDIA’S RETURN

Pooja Vastrakar missed out on Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. Courtesy: Reuters

Vastrakar last played for India in the match that led to their exit from the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2024. Since then, Kashvee Gautam has emerged as a fast bowling all-rounder in the Indian setup.

During this period, Vastrakar also missed India’s 2025 ODI World Cup triumph and will not be available for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup as well.

However, failure does not surprise her. For Vastrakar, the focus is on domestic cricket, consistent performances and putting in the hard yards with the belief that results and an international comeback will follow in due course.

“Look, it’s really not in my hands. It’s in my hands to continue to do my job and perform, regardless of which franchise I’m playing for or which league I’m in. The voters are there to make those decisions,” Vastrakar said.

“If I perform well and they feel that Pooja Vastrakar deserves to be in the team, then great. Otherwise, I will continue to do what is expected of me. My job is to keep working hard and give my best,” added Vastrakar.

It has been eight years since Vastrakar made her debut in India. Having played more than 100 matches for the country, she has repeatedly shown herself to be a reliable option with both bat and ball.

However, the last few months off the field have tested her resilience and patience. If he is fully fit, there is no doubt that he will return to the Indian set-up given the quality and balance he brings.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

June 10, 2026 0:01 AM IST