How gritty Devika won her blue shirt back

She kept the pursuit of her dream going despite several setbacks

Devika Vaidya had nearly given up. Her last One-Day International for India was in 2018. Her only Twenty20 International in 2014. Her dreams of getting the Team India blue shirt back suffered a series of setbacks, beginning with an injury in 2017 and a chikungunya affliction.

She lost her mother, who was her strongest pillar of support and sole confidant. And, the Covid-19 pandemic made her mother’s absence all the more unbearable. But, the 25-year-old from Pune clutched onto the dream that kept her going.

She wanted to win a World Cup — “Two actually,” she corrects herself — and put her heart and soul into getting back into the Indian team. On the domestic circuit, she bowled her leg-breaks, kept the scoreboard ticking and fielded as if her life depended on it.

There was one particular game that really brought the best out of her. At the Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy in Raipur last month, playing for India-B, she came in at 57 for four, chasing 141 against India-C. Then came a remarkable innings (41 not out off 27 balls) that guided her side to victory with a ball to spare.

Chief selector Neetu David was among those who watched her brilliant effort. Devika was back in the Indian team for the T20I series against Australia.

In the second match of the series at Navi Mumbai’s D.Y. Patil Stadium, she hit a four off the last ball and helped India tie the match. India then won the Super Over in front of more than 45,000 excited fans.

On Saturday night, she made 32 and added 72 for the fourth wicket with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur to keep India in the chase of a daunting target. India went on to lose that game by seven runs, though.