Keerthana Balakrishnan: Tamil Nadu's First WPL Pick, Set to Dazzle in MI Colours

#WPL2024 | From stepping on the ground to shed weight to donning MI's jersey, here's Keerthana Balakrishnan's story.

IPL 2024: Keerthana Balakrishnan is the first player from Tamil Nadu to get picked in the WPL.

Image: Mumbai Indians/Altered by The Quint

Embarking on a childhood journey of sports and physical activity may seem ordinary, but for Keerthana Balakrishnan, a cricketer hailing from Tamil Nadu, what began as a simple quest to shed weight unfolded into a miraculous transformation. Little did she anticipate that her early affinity for the sports field would evolve into a story where cricket gear would become the canvas for her dreams.

“I was 10 years old when I started my cricketing journey. I was going to the ground to shed some weight and then cricket happened. My cousin used to play cricket. When he would go to the ground, my father would take me along to perform some physical activities. He would make me run and do other stuff. One day, very randomly, when my brother was playing, my father said why don't you play cricket too. It started from there,” Keerthana told The Quint.

Many years in the sport, and her career received a major impetus last December when the 23-year-old leg spinner was bought in the WPL auction on her base price of Rs 10 lakh by Mumbai Indians, making her the first player from Tamil Nadu to get selected in the tournament.

“I wanted more Tamil Nadu players to represent the state in the WPL but since I'm the first player to be playing in the league, I hope this inspires youngsters to come up and give them the opportunity that they could knock the doors of the next level. I really wish this happens,” she said on becoming the pioneering player from her state to be playing in the WPL.

Keerthana is the first player from Tamil Nadu to get selected in the Women's Premier League (WPL).

Basking in the glory of aligning with the reigning champions, Keerthana shared her insights on the positive atmosphere within the camp that fuels her drive to excel and nurtures her passion for the game.

“Just one word - positive. No matter what, however things go, the environment in the camp is absolutely positive. There's so much aggression and passion for the game,” she said.

Reflecting back on her early cricketing days, the leggie who has represented Tamil Nadu Women, India Women's Green team, South Zone Women spoke about the pivotal role her coaches played in refining her game and honing her skills.

“I started with Washington Sundar's father, Mr. Sundar sir and then after that I moved to Peter Fernandez sir, I was under him for 6-7 years, until Covid. He was the one who strengthened my basics, laid the foundation for me and focused more on the technical aspects of the game. Batting, bowling everything. I was a budding cricketer back then, who'd just started her cricketing career. He was the one who took me and spotted the talent, she revealed.

“Post Covid, I moved to TS Mukund sir. He worked a lot on my variations; made me realise what are the important aspects which are needed to go to the next level. We worked so hard on it. So, Mukund sir along with Nirmal Kumar worked on my leg-spin skills,” she added.

Keerthana has trained under spinner Washington Sundar's father, M Sundar and veteran batter Abhinav Mukund's father TS Mukund.

As instrumental as her coaches have been in shaping her career, Keerthana acknowledges that her cricketing path would be incomplete without the unwavering support of her father - Balakrishnan, the owner of a travel company, emerged as a pillar of strength, provided invaluable assistance and encouragement, anchoring her journey through its highs and lows.

“My father supported me a lot during my childhood days. Until I was capable of travelling alone, he was the one who took me to the ground, picked me up and dropped me to practice sessions and school. He would put throw downs for me to bat. He has invested a lot of his time in my cricketing career,” she said.

“My mother has been equally supportive, she's a housewife and she used to take care of everything that she could - my diet, my sleep schedule and everything. Both my parents are very supportive,” she added.

Excited about her stint with the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians, Keerthana spoke about the role the management has in mind for her. “The coaches brief me. I am more of a bowling all-rounder so the role that I can play in the team when I get a chance is to be a bowler who can pick wickets,” she said.

With aspirations set high, the leg-spinner envisions earning a coveted spot in the playing XI for her team and when that moment arrives, her sights are locked on scalping the wickets of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Ellyse Perry and Gujarat Giants’ Phoebe Litchfield.

“I’d want Ellyse Perry’s wicket and another player is Phoebe Litchfield, she's a player whose batting I admire a lot so if I get a chance I'd really like to pick her wicket,” she said.

Keerthana also dreams of donning the coveted purple cap in the league, yet she remains grounded, recognising that her paramount target is to significantly contribute to her team's quest for championship glory. 

“It's a dream to get the purple cap but ultimately I'd like our team to win the tournament and contribute to the side's success. This would be my ultimate goal,” she said.