Who is Jintimani Kalita? The Assam star makes his India debut and gets the cap from Harmanpreet Kaur

Jintimani Kalita took a big step in her cricketing journey on Friday when the young pacer made her debut for India in the first women’s ODI against Zimbabwe in Vadodara. The 22-year-old received her maiden India cap from Harmanpreet Kaur, marking a proud milestone for the Assam cricketer as she entered the international arena.

Kalita got her opportunity after being named as a replacement for Renuka Singh Thakur in the Indian ODI squad. Renuka was ruled out of the three-match series as she continued to build the bowling load required for the 50-over format at the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru.

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Kalita was part of the Indian squad for the previous three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe but did not feature in any of the matches. India completed the series 3-0 before moving to Vadodara for the one-day internationals.

The ODI debut marks an important milestone for the Assam cricketer, who worked her way through domestic cricket, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) and India A assignments to get an opportunity at the international level.

WHO IS JINTIMANI KALITA

Jintimani Kalita played 13 matches for Mumbai Indians in the WPL. Courtesy: BCCI Women

Hailing from Assam, Kalita is a right arm medium fast bowler. She came through the state domestic cricket system before making her mark in franchise cricket.

Kalita made history in 2023 when she became the first female cricketer from Assam to feature in the Women’s Premier League. Mumbai Indians signed her for Rs 10 lakh in the inaugural WPL auction, giving her an opportunity to compete alongside established international players.

She played 13 matches for Mumbai Indians over two seasons. In January 2026, Gujarat Giants signed her for Rs 10 lakh as an injury replacement for Titas Sadhu, who was ruled out of the tournament. However, Kalita did not get an opportunity to play for the Giants during the season.

Her progress has also been influenced by appearances for India A. Kalita featured in the white-ball series against Australia A in September 2026 and previously toured England with the India A team. These assignments provided valuable exposure to international opposition and helped strengthen her case for a high-profile India challenge.

After making her international debut, Kalita will be hoping to make the most of the opportunity in the Zimbabwe ODI series and establish herself as a contender for future assignments.

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