Aayushi Shukla: How dad's chance meeting with ex-India cricketer set her on track

Aayushi Shukla, the left-arm spinner who played a key role in helping India win the Under-19 World Cup with 14 wickets and returning as the second highest wicket-taker, may not have become a cricketer had it not been for the passing of former India woman cricketer Sandhya Agarwal’s sister.

Aayushi’s father Lalji Shukla is a Pandit in Indore, and performs religious rituals.

About a decade ago, he had to visit Sandhya’s house.

“Sandhya Agarwal, the former cricketer, I went to her home to do Puja 8-9 years ago, in Indore, after her sister had passed away. We went with her to Ujjain [for a religious ritual],” recalls Lalji who was fond of watching cricket.

“We were talking and she asked me, ‘Panditji, how many kids do you have’. I said I have three sons and a daughter. I said the girl is just nine. She said, ‘Why don’t you make the girl play cricket’. I said I don’t have much knowledge about cricket. I watch but don’t know how to go about it. She asked me to put her in some academy, and teach her. I soon realised that I should make her play cricket.”

Aayushi, now 17, was a left-hander from the start and used to eat and write with her left hand.

“We soon put her in an academy. She was 9-10 back then,” says Lalji, whose father was a wrestler and son a national-level boxer. Lalji was fond of cricket.

“I used to get up at 4 am, make her run, do exercise, do surya pranaam for 30-45 minutes, push-ups, squats. It involved 2-2.5 hours of workout at home. She used to go to school and then to the academy. She’d stay there till 6-6.30 pm. This was her schedule.”

The academy she attends was run by Devashish Nilose. It is in Gymkhana, which is 12 km from her residence in Devguradiya.  

“Aayushi used to work very hard. She would cycle 12 km up and 12 km down. She did this for 1.5 years, continuously between Devguradiya and Gymkhana.”

Nilose calls her an all-rounder, whose batting is also very good.

“She was used in powerplay, in World Cup as well as Asia Cup as a bowler. She bowled very well.

“Aayushi was very young when she came to me, 4-5 years ago. She has improved a lot in three years. She is 17, but the maturity level is very high. She is playing in the top category. She played for Madhya Pradesh in the semi-finals and final at the Women’s One Day Tournament and did well. She is a very keen learner, and is confident. She possesses variations and is very accurate. She brings balance to every team. She is also a very good fielder, a complete package.”

Tags : Aayushi Shukla, Under-19 World Cup, women's cricket, Indore