Shreyanka Patil and the vicious cycle of injuries that continues to haunt her

Fate, how cruel can you be?

Life is constantly testing you in one way or another. It tests your patience, pushes you to your limits, makes you question your worth and destiny. He will, but only after he wears you down and pushes you to the brink of giving up. Life was cruel for Shreyanka Patil. For a young girl who is full of life and energy, life has not been kind to her by any means.

It’s been about two-and-a-half years since Shreyanka has been a part of the Indian team since her debut in late 2023, but since then she has been more off the field than on it. It seems that just when she starts to bounce back from setbacks, fate tends to pin her down and make her start over.

The T20 Women’s World Cup was supposed to be Shreyanka’s stage. Last year she went to Lord’s and showed off the title lift on the iconic Lord’s balcony. Who would have thought that the dream would collapse? Who would have thought that the cycle of injuries that once haunted her would return after months of trying to put them behind her?

THE GHOST IS STILL HAUNTING SHREYANKA

Shreyanka Patil injured her ankle against the Netherlands. Courtesy: AFP

Shreyanka has had her share of joy since her RCB debut in 2023, winning the Women’s Premier League title in 2024 and 2026. But beyond that, she hasn’t had much to cheer about. In 2024, while playing in the WPL, she suffered a finger injury that caused her to miss several matches. However, she came back to become the Purple Cap holder and help RCB win the title.

But the injury returned to her when she was ruled out of the Asia Cup that year after the match against Pakistan. She returned for the T20 World Cup in the UAE but soon entered a phase that ruled her out of the game for 12 months. Just as she was set to play in WPL 2025, she suffered grade 3 shin splints in both legs, knocking her out of the tournament.

Shreyanka did not make her comeback until later that year in October in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, where she represented Karnataka. She then returned to India after touring Australia for almost 16 months.

Just when Shreyanka seemed to have turned a corner, she injured herself again after twisting her ankle in the Women’s World T20 match against the Netherlands. And there is no timetable for the next time it will return. How heartbreaking it can be.

SHREYANKA HAS NO LUCK

Shreyanka Patil was pulled off after an injury. Courtesy: Getty Images

Shreyanka started to rise again after the setbacks she suffered in 2024. She lifted the WPL 2026 title and then followed it up with a Man of the Match performance in the T20I series decider against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. Finally, it seemed that 2026 could be Shreyanka’s year. But no, not really.

Shreyanka was not green in the Edgbaston match against Pakistan. The scorecard shows Deepti Sharma five wickets and Shree Charani three while Shreyanka returned a wicketless wicket. But what doesn’t show is that Shreyanka dropped two catches in the power play.

If that wasn’t enough, then she he suffered a leg injury under the most unfortunate of circumstances. She was chasing her own delivery, and just as she went to retrieve the ball, she lost her footing. In 99 out of 100 cases, it is a routine pickup. But not that day.

The injury was so severe that she could not even put weight on her leg and had to be carried away on a stretcher. At that point, it was almost obvious that Shreyanka’s world championship might be over. The pain on her face was less physical and more a silent question, why me, every time?

THE SPIRITUAL PATH IS HARD

Shreyanka Patil has Jasprit Bumrah as an inspiration to look up to. Courtesy: AFP

Earlier this month, Shreyanka revealed that her time away from the game has taken a toll a heavy toll on her mental healthleading to depression and even thoughts of quitting cricket. With the support of her parents and loved ones, she was able to recover from that difficult phase and work her way back. The scars from that period may not have fully healed and now he faces another setback.

Shreyanka will have to watch from the sidelines as India take on South Africa, Bangladesh and Australia in the remaining group stage matches in a bid to reach the semi-finals. She would have relished the chance to contribute on the field, but instead has to watch her teammates play in front of packed crowds, including at Lord’s, a venue where she has long dreamed of showcasing her talents.

As Shreyanka faces another setback, she can draw strength from the advice she once received from Jasprit Bumrah during rehab. Few cricketers understand the pain of repeated injury setbacks better than Bumrah, who battled through long spells on the sidelines to become one of the world’s most feared bowlers across all formats.

Shreyanka has already shown remarkable courage by overcoming both physical and mental challenges and there is no reason to doubt her ability to do it again. The latest injury may delay her journey, but it doesn’t define it.

Like Bumrah, he now has the opportunity to prove his strength of character and come back stronger, wiser and more determined than ever.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

20 Jun 2026 06:00 IST