Delhi’s young left-arm spinner Parunika Sisodia has quickly risen as one of India’s brightest stars in women’s cricket. She first made headlines at the U19 Women’s World Cup earlier this year when she picked up three wickets in India’s opening match against West Indies. Her spell of 2.2-0-7-3 set the tone for India’s title defence, and she finished the tournament with 10 wickets in six matches at an impressive economy rate of 2.71. In a News18 CricketNext interview with Megha Mallick, Parunika shared her story, the encouragement from legends in the Women's Premier League (WPL), and her aspiration to play red-ball cricket. Early Transition from Tennis to Cricket Parunika's transition into cricket was not quite by the book. She didn't like the game initially and favored playing tennis, but in January 2018, she made a choice that changed her life forever. She said: "My cricket journey is a bit weird. I hated the game at first! My father, who played for Uttar Pradesh and is a cricket coach, used to take me along to summer camps. At that time, I was playing lawn tennis, but gradually I saw kids enjoying cricket and realised it offered more opportunities than tennis." She also remembered the date she changed: "On January 11, 2018, I decided to switch. I still remember the date because it changed my life." A left-arm medium pacer to begin with, Parunika switched to spin after her father insisted on her giving it a try during the monsoon months. Next, she was noticed at DDCA trials by Anju Jain, who arranged for her to train with the senior team. Reema Malhotra also played an important part in raising her morale and refining her skills there. Also Read | DY Patil Stadium to Replace Chinnaswamy as Women’s World Cup Venue Learning from Legends in the WPL Parunika's triumph at the U19 World Cup opened the doors for the Women's Premier League, where she was with the Mumbai Indians. It was a dream come true for her to share the dressing room with legends such as Charlotte Edwards, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Jhulan Goswami. She said: "When I joined MI, I had just come off the U19 World Cup win. Naturally, everyone’s first question was about that experience. For me, the fact that legends like Charlotte Edwards, Jhulan ma’am and Harman di knew about me was huge." Parunika added: “It gave me a sense of responsibility; I had to live up to their trust because they had picked me. The franchise has shown great faith in me, giving me chances and I just want to keep improving and delivering. I don’t want to look back." Also Read | Women's World Cup 2025: India Women’s Squad Revealed, Shafali Verma Left Out Aspirations in Red-Ball Cricket In contrast to most children, Parunika has a definite enthusiasm for red-ball cricket and thinks it needs to expand more in the women's game. She said: "Definitely. I believe red-ball cricket is the purest format. Even Virat Kohli has said it’s the best form of the game. Over the last couple of years, BCCI has been giving us more platforms for red-ball cricket, and I think it will grow in the next 5–6 years." Parunika's path from tennis courts to emerging cricket sensation is an inspiration of perseverance and determination. With her ability, dedication, and tutelage by the crème of the sport, she is one of the most thrilling hopes for India's future in women's cricket.