Deepti Sharma

Introduction

Deepti Sharma, a cricket player from India, currently represents Sydney Thunder, Bengal, and the Indian national team. Known for her versatility, she holds the impressive rank of fourth among the finest all-rounders in the ICC Cricket Rankings. With a total of 188 runs, Deepti Sharma stands as the third-highest individual scorer in the history of women's ODI cricket.

Deepti Sharma's full name is Deepti Bhagwan Sharma, and she is often referred to as Deepu. Born on August 24, 1997, in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, she is currently 26 years old. Virgo is her zodiac sign, and she follows the Hindu religion. Standing at 1.65 meters (5'5") tall, Deepti Sharma is a left-handed batswoman and bowls off-break with her right arm.

Making her international debut for India, Deepti Sharma showcased her talent, which had already been evident in state games and for the A-side. Her international debut occurred during the crucial South Africa vs. India match at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, a game that determined the series' outcome. Despite India's loss, Deepti delivered the second-best bowling figures for the team and made notable contributions with her bowling strikes. Since then, her place on the national squad has been secure, and she achieved several records before reaching the age of 20.

Family and Educational Background of Deepti Sharma

Bhagwan Sharma is Deepti Sharma's father, and Shushila Sharma is her mother. The father of Deepti Sharma is a retired Indian Railways chief booking supervisor. Sumit Sharma is the name of Deepti Sharma's brother. Sumit Sharma was once a pacer for Uttar Pradesh.

Deepti Sharma finished her schooling in her hometown. Saharanpur Public School was her school. Her fascination with cricket began when she was nine years old. Deepti would urge her father to ask her brother to take her to the field every day so she could watch other matches and net practices.

Early Days

The town of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, is the birthplace of cricket player Deepti Sharma. She had seven siblings when she was born. Bhagwan Sharma, Deepti's father, worked for the Indian Railways as a chief booking supervisor.

Deepti was introduced to cricket for the first time by her older brother, Sumit Sharma. Sumit began playing cricket at a young age. Because he loved the game so much, he went on to win the Nayudu Trophy while playing for his home state.

After a while, Deepti began to feel the effect of Sumit's enthusiasm. When Deepti saw his new cricket kit, she was among the happiest individuals she had seen. She was pleased that Sumit played cricket in addition to being thrilled about it. Deepti would request her father to tell Sumit to go with him on his training.

During one of Sumit's net practices, 9-year-old Deepti had accompanied him. At Eklavya Sports Stadium, the location of the practices, everything was about to change. The ball rolled in Sharma's direction while she was engrossingly watching her brother play on the field.

Unknowingly, Deepti returned the ball to the bowler. Rather, the spheroid zoomed and smashed into the stumps. All the players, including Sumit, applauded for an excellent performance.

A senior coach, Hemlata Kala, happened to be present at the stadium and silently observed everything happening. Curious, she inquired of Sumit, "Who is that little boy?" Sumit explained that the girl with the "boy-cut hairdo" was his sister, who had never set foot on a cricket field before. At the time, Kala, a national selector, remarked, "Let her play. This kid will represent India one day." Years later, Deepti Sharma did, in fact, fulfill the prophecy, just as she had predicted.

Cricket Career of Deepti Sharma

Deepti Sharma's cricket journey commenced with formal training under her brother, Sumit. Surprisingly, she required minimal guidance in mastering the game's fundamentals, as noted by her brother: "Deepti is naturally right-handed, but she adopted a left-hander's grip on her own, without any assistance from me. Even in bowling, medium-pacer seemed to be her instinctive choice - yes, medium-pace!"

Before switching to off-spin, Deepti was a medium-pacer. Sharma participated in the state U-19 team trials for the next two years, but both times, she was disqualified because of her young age.

Initially, Deepti pursued a career as a medium-pacer before transitioning to off-spin. Over the next two years, she attempted to make the state U19 team but faced rejection due to her young age. Fortunately, Hemlata took Deepti under her guidance. Fondly referred to as "Hema di" by Deepti, Hemlata escorted her to Delhi and Allahabad, where Deepti had the opportunity to bat in the nets and observe intrasquad matches at the Railways camp.

In her pursuit of a spot on the U19 Uttar Pradesh team, Deepti showcased her skills by scoring 65 runs and claiming three wickets during the 2010 selection, earning her a well-deserved place in the team.

Domestic

Over the following two years, Deepti dedicated herself to rigorous training and showcased exceptional performance for the U19 UP side. However, it was her outstanding innings of 114 against the Vidarbha women in Kanpur that paved the way for her entry into the senior team. This time, the wait was short, as the then UPCA co-selector ensured her inclusion in the senior team at the young age of 15.

Rita Dey, the BCCI national selector (central) and UPCA chairperson of the women's selection committee at that time, emphasized that Deepti's remarkable contributions with both bat and ball, coupled with her unwavering enthusiasm for the game, strengthened her case for a spot in the senior team.

It was Dey who initially observed that medium pace didn't complement Deepti's batting strengths. This insight was supported by Kala and Rana, who believed that her natural action was more suited to spin, especially considering her stature. Consequently, Deepti transitioned to spinning the ball.

Her consistent performances for Uttar Pradesh in domestic seasons earned her a well-deserved call-up for India A. In 2014, Deepti played a crucial role by scoring an unbeaten 53 for India A, leading to her maiden call-up to the National team.

Despite being honored as the Best Women Cricketer (Junior) in the 2015-16 season, Deepti chose to skip the award ceremony to fulfill her desire to play alongside her idol, Mithali Raj.

Bengal

For the upcoming senior women's domestic season, Deepti signed a contract with the West Bengal team in November 2017. Deepti was connected to Railways and Baroda following the receipt of a no-objection certificate from the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association. Nevertheless, Bengal accepted the offers and left with the best all-round players the nation has ever seen.

Deepti assisted Bengal in placing second in the plate group during the inaugural season. Before Bengal won the 50-over competition in 2018-19, the cricketer was one of the best with the bat and the ball, helping them progress. With 487 runs and 22 wickets, Deepti became the competition's top run scorer and tied for second-highest wicket-taker.

ODI

Deepti Sharma marked her ODI international debut in 2014 against South Africa in Bengaluru as part of the ICC Women's Championship. Unfortunately, her first inning was forgettable, entering at Number 3 and getting run out after just one run by T Chetty. However, the 17-year-old showcased her prowess in the second inning, taking two crucial wickets - those of Captain Mignon Preez and Nadine Moodley, who had formed a strong partnership, scoring 46 and 54, respectively. Despite India's loss by four wickets, Deepti's dismissal of two well-set batswomen was a significant statement, ending with figures of 2/35 in an impressive debut. In the years that followed, she became a vital contributor to the team, excelling with both bat and ball.

In her third ODI, she achieved a remarkable feat by taking six wickets for 20 runs against Sri Lanka, making her the youngest Indian women cricketer to cross the 5-wicket mark. In February 2017, Deepti notched her first half-century, opening the innings with Mona Meshram and scoring 54 runs in 96 balls. India secured a massive 114-run victory against Sri Lanka in the first Women's World Cup Qualifier match. In subsequent matches, she scored 89 against Ireland, 29* versus Pakistan, and 71 against South Africa, finishing as the highest run-scorer of the tournament with 253 runs in 6 matches. Although she took only four wickets with the ball, Deepti bowled 12 maiden overs, showcasing an impressive economy rate of 2.67.

ICC Women's World Cup

During the ICC Women's World Cup in 2017, Deepti emerged as one of the best all-rounders in the competition. She commenced the tournament with the best bowling figures of 3/47 in India's resounding win over England. Continuing her impressive form, she claimed the first and last wickets in another victory against West Indies. In the third match against Pakistan, she contributed 28 runs and took two wickets, aiding India in securing a comfortable win over their arch-rivals. In the semifinals against Australia, Deepti scored 25 runs and took three wickets for 59 runs, contributing significantly to India's 36-run victory.

T20 Career

Deepti Sharma made her T20 debut two years later against Australia in 2016, finishing with figures of 1/19 and an economy rate of 4.75 runs. Initially, in T20Is, she was recognized more for her bowling skills than her batting prowess. Nevertheless, Deepti consistently contributed wickets, and when moved up the order, she chipped in with runs. In a T20I against West Indies, batting at number 3, she scored a quick 24 in 22 balls. However, her dismissal triggered a collapse in the Indian batting order, resulting in a total of 106 against West Indies' 132.

In November 2019, Deepti showcased her bowling prowess by picking up the wickets of Chedean Nation, Natasha McLean, Chinelle Henry, and Shenta Grimmond, helping India dismiss West Indies women for 107 at Gros Islet.

ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Moving on to the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, Deepti Sharma was part of the squad for the 2018 edition. On her debut, she contributed with two catches in the field and conceded 33 runs as India defeated New Zealand. Her standout performance came against Ireland, where she took two wickets, conceding only 15 runs, and contributed 11 with the bat. In the final group game against Australia, she picked up two wickets and scored 8 runs, helping India qualify for the semifinals. Although she finished with 1/24 and 7 runs in the semifinal against England, it wasn't enough to prevent India from succumbing to the English women.

For the Women's T20 World Cup in Australia, Deepti Sharma was again named in the squad. In the first game, India beat Australia by 15 runs, with Deepti playing an unbeaten inning of 49 before Poonam Yadav's brilliance led to Australia being bowled out for 115.

The International Career of Deepti Sharma

Deepti Sharma played her first ODI against South Africa in Bengaluru in 2014. The game was part of the ICC Women's Championship. Deepti Sharma and Poonam Raut combined to score 320 runs, a new world record for opening partnerships; the latter scored 188 runs. As a result, both the women's record of 229 and the men's record of 286 in ODIs were broken. This pair helped the Indian team score 358 for three in 50 overs during a quadrangular series against Ireland women in Potchefstroom, which also featured the women's teams from South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Deepti Sharma was part of the Indian team that lost to England in the 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup final by a score of nine runs. In nine matches, she took 12 wickets and scored 216 runs at an average of 30.86. Her greatest bowling performance came against Australia, where she bowled 3 for 59 in 7.1 overs. Sharma's career-best bowling effort was a 6-20 against Sri Lanka in the final ODI at Ranchi.

In the 2017-18 senior women's domestic season, Jhulan Goswami and Deepti Sharma signed contracts to play for Bengal. At 104 runs per game with a phenomenal 65.13 strike rate, she finished the season with the greatest run total (312 runs) of any player. She finished with a top score of 77 and five half-centuries. Deepti also claimed nine wickets in total, her best effort coming in a Kolkata match against Vidarbha (3 for 26).

In the 2018-19 domestic Senior women's standings, Bengal came in second. With 313 runs from 6 games, she was the top run scorer of the season. Deepti has scored 200 and one half-centuries in the six matches she has played, her best being 106 not out against Baroda in Bengaluru. She has also taken 13 wickets, her best figure coming from a 4 for 12 against Kerala in Bengaluru.

In October 2018, Deepti Sharma was selected to play for the Indian team in the 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20 in the West Indies. In the semifinal, England defeated the Indian team by eight wickets. She only took five wickets in the competition; her best was 2 for 15 in three overs against Ireland. In June 2018, she was awarded the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for Best Domestic Senior Women's Cricketer by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

In June 2019, Deepti Sharma signed a deal to compete in the Kia Super League with the Western Storm. In January 2020, she was chosen for the Indian team in preparation for the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia. In 2021, London Spirit chose her for The Hundred's inaugural season. She was named in the Test team for India's one-off match in May 2021 against the England women's cricket team. Sharma participated in her debut Test match for India against England on June 16, 2021.

Deepti Sharma plays for the Sydney Thunder in the 2021 WBBL. In January 2022, she was chosen to represent India in the Women's Cricket World Cup, which would be held in New Zealand. Additionally, in July 2022, she was chosen to play for India in the cricket tournament at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

Playing Style of Deepti Sharma

One of the top all-rounders in the game right now is Deepti Sharma. Ironically, for being the youngest member of the national team, Deepti is a valuable spinner who is particularly renowned for her excellent degree of maturity. As the third batsman in India's order, she bats with aggression and is a fairly important component.

The Remarkable 320 Runs Partnership with Punam Raut

The day was May 15, 2017. The richest cricket league, the IPL qualifiers, had the entire nation's attention as history was being written in a distant country. Word quickly spread out, and soon, the topic was trending on Twitter.

In less than 45 overs, Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut broke all previous records by scoring 320 runs together-more than any other cricket pair, male or female. The two destroyed every bowler that came their way in that South African encounter, with Deepti scoring the highest score of 188 runs.

Sharma had a devastating performance, hitting an astounding 27 fours to finish at 188 in just 160 balls.

The Net Worth of Deepti Sharma

As of 2022, Deepti Sharma's net worth is projected to be at $1 million or 7 crore INR. Cricketer Deepti Sharma represents the Indian women's national cricket team internationally. At just twenty-four, the young lady has already proven herself and earned her place in the national team.

Deepti Sharma's earnings from domestic competitions, the Big Bash League, the BCCI, advertisements, and sponsorships all contribute to her net worth.

Deepti Sharma receives a salary of 50 lakh rupees from the BCCI. Similar to Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, and Poonam Yadav, she became a member of the elite group of cricket players who hold Grade A contracts. In 2022, Deepti Sharma advanced from Grade B to Grade A as a result of her consistent work. In addition, Deepti's salary for playing first-class cricket is INR 20,000 per day.

Awards Won by Deepti Sharma

• ICC Women's World Cup Runner-Up in 2017
• Jagmohan Dalmiya Award
• Elixir's Cricketer Award of the Year

Unknown Information about Deepti Sharma

• The elder brother of Deepti Sharma was a player for the UP U-19 and U-22 squads. His passion influenced her.
• She began her career as a medium-pacer before switching to spin.
• Suresh Raina is Deepti's favorite player, and she likes to imitate his inside-out lofted shot.
• She enjoys listening to music, especially Arijit Singh's voice. Her all-time favorite actress is Madhuri Dixit.
• Deepti has represented both Bengal and Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket. She has also represented Western Storm in the Kia Super League and Velocity in the Women's T20 Challenge.
• The most recent central contract system of the BCCI rates Deepti Sharma as a Grade A player. She thus receives an annual salary of Rs 50 lakhs for her participation in the Indian national team.