India all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar has said that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) backed her strongly during a difficult phase marked by injury concerns. Last year, RCB picked Vastrakar in the Women’s Premier League mega auction while she was still recovering from a shoulder injury.
She sustained the injury during the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2024, after which she underwent surgery in March 2025. As a result, she missed the entire 2025 WPL season and was later released by Mumbai Indians despite being one of the leading pace-bowling all-rounders in the country.
RCB then acquired her in the auction for Rs 85 lakh, backing her potential despite her fitness struggles. Vastrakar revealed that the franchise did not put pressure on her to immediately resume bowling. Instead, they focused on utilising her batting abilities and allowed her time to ease back into full bowling workload, giving her confidence and space during her comeback phase.
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“They spoke to me in very simple terms and told me that if my bowling wasn’t coming along as expected, that was okay. They said, ‘You are a batting all-rounder; we need your batting.’ That reassurance gave me a lot of confidence, and they continued to back me throughout the tournament,” Vastrakar told India Today in an interview facilitated by Madhya Pradesh Premier League.
“Absolutely. Everyone there, not just Anya (Shrubsole), but even our head coach (Malolan Rangarajan) and Smriti (Mandhana), are very established at this level. All of them have faced injuries at some point in their careers, so they understand what it takes for a player to make a comeback,” Vastrakar said.
FOCUS, FITNESS, PERFORMANCE
For Vastrakar, the shoulder injury was not the only setback that kept her away from the game. She also tweaked her hamstring just two days before her release from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, which forced her to miss the first two weeks of the WPL 2026 for RCB.
Even after returning, she neither bowled nor batted in two of the matches she featured in. Reflecting on her journey, Vastrakar said challenges and frustrations are part of cricket and help players learn how to deal with ups and downs.
She added that her current focus is on fitness, managing her body, and improving performance through consistent hard work and discipline.
“There are always some challenges, and a bit of frustration too, but at the same time, you learn a lot from them. Cricket is a game that comes with plenty of ups and downs, and it makes you aware of how to deal with different challenges,” Vastrakar, who’s playing for the Chambal Ghariyals, said.
“Right now, I am not particularly focused on any one specific thing. My main focus is on my body, my fitness, and my performances. I am concentrating on the hard work required to improve in those areas. At the moment, that is where all my focus and motivation lie,” Vastrakar added.
VASTRAKAR NOT WORRIED ABOUT INDIA RETURN
The last time Vastrakar played for India was in the match that led to their exit from the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2024. Since then, Kashvee Gautam has emerged in India’s setup as a fast-bowling all-rounder.
During this period, Vastrakar also missed India’s ODI World Cup triumph in 2025 and will be unavailable for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup as well.
However, she remains unfazed about the setback. For Vastrakar, the focus is firmly on domestic cricket, consistent performances, and putting in the hard yards, with the belief that results and an international comeback will follow in due course.
“Look, that is not really in my hands. What is in my hands is to keep doing my job and performing, no matter which franchise I play for or which league I participate in. The selectors are there to make those decisions,” Vastrakar said
“If I perform well and they feel that Pooja Vastrakar is worthy of being in the team, then that’s great. Otherwise, I will continue doing what is expected of me. My job is to keep working hard and giving my best,” Vastrakar added.
It’s been eight years since Vastrakar made her India debut. Having already played over 100 matches for the country, she has repeatedly shown that she is a dependable option with both bat and ball.
However, the past few months away from the field have tested her resilience and patience. If fully fit, there is little doubt that she will return to the Indian setup, given the quality and balance she brings to the side.
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