Riding on self-belief and 'four buses daily' to reach Team India: Minnu Mani's cricket journey

Minnu Mani, the first Kerala woman to play for the senior Indian cricket team, said 'determination and self-belief' were the key to her success. The 25-year-old, who made her ODI debut in India's second match against Australia in Brisbane, talked with BCCI media about her early struggles.

Minnu, who introduced herself as hailing from a 'rural, little forest area in the Wayanad district of Kerala,' said she had to get on four buses daily and travel three hours to reach a decent training ground. "Many days, I never went to practice because my parents could not afford bus fare. That was a challenging period," Minnu said.

Her cricket journey began when she was in class eight. A physical education teacher spotted her talent and paved the way for her selection to the district team. After getting selected to the state academy, her career took off. "I spent seven years at the academy. I got training in the morning and the evening, and the other time, I went to school."

With her talents as a quality off-spinner and solid left-hand batter, it was easy for Minnu to get to the senior state team, but reaching the national set-up required much more courage. "When I started playing senior cricket for Kerala, I decided I should be the first woman from Kerala to represent the country," Minnu said.

Last July, Minnu made her T20 international debut against Bangladesh. She got her T20I cap from India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, who also handed out her ODI cap earlier this week. "One of my favourite cricketers is Smriti di; now I'm standing in front of her, getting the cap. It feels very special to me."

Representing Delhi Capitals in the Women's Premier League was a turning point in her career. She bagged three wickets in the event. Looking back at her journey, Minnu said: "If you want something badly, no challenges will affect you. Determination and self-belief are the key."