All-rounder Mithila holding her own among boys

Bengaluru: Vinod Radhakrishnan was a rather affable amateur cricketer who got his weekend fix on mostly decrepit grounds in Bengaluru.

While he wasn’t unlike the thousands in the City who still partake in this ritual, he stands out for who he used to have alongside him while doing so. Around five or so years ago, Vinod used to have in tow his teenage daughter.

This 13-year-old was a child among men, but Mithila Vinod rarely looked out of place.

When not in quiet contemplation, Mithila was out there with the ball in hand or at the crease tackling pacers and spinners with finesse. On the field she was a little brash and a little more vociferous. The second she came off of it, she was back to being a solemn image, but her eyes were always curious.

Now, the 18-year-old is among the finest all-rounders women’s cricket in Karnataka has seen in a while.

“I used to enjoy playing everywhere,” says Mithila. “Back then, I used to play more with the boys, and it was fun because if I hit them for a couple of fours they would make fun of the guys who got hit for fours, and every time I got anyone out, they would make fun of the guys who got out to me. I began to enjoy that.”

But this side of ‘fun’ came a little way after she dabbled in athletics, basketball and football. After trying them all out, she was enrolled in the Karnataka Institute of Cricket. She was beginning to have ‘fun’ with cricket, when age group cricket came calling.

After doing well at the Under-16 level, she played her bits to perfection, including in the final, to give Karnataka a title in the Women’s Under-19 T20 Trophy.

“The climb really started for me during the U-19 season,” she recalls. “As I was one of the senior players, I knew I had the responsibility. I did well during that season, and I carried that form into the U-23 team.”

That form resulted in her scoring 272 runs, including a couple of half-centuries, at an average of 45.33 and 12 wickets at a strike rate of 19 in the Women’s Under-23 One-Day Trophy. Karnataka didn’t win, but Mithila’s stocks grew. Plus, she didn’t succumb to the fear of being one of the younger players in the team. 

Mithila hasn’t made her debut with the seniors yet and didn’t have a franchise to represent in the Women’s Premier League this season, but she reckons it’s all coming her way.

“I remember a counsellor of mine telling me at some point that even if I was the 12th woman, I should focus on being the best at it,” she says. “That has been my attitude since then. I have always given my best."

Mithila has plenty on her plate for now, including preparation for the upcoming 2025 Under-19 T20 World Cup, and she certainly seems ready for the task. Perhaps Vinod had it all worked out after all.