New Delhi, August 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
For UP Warriorz chief scout Neetu David, scouting talent begins well before the first ball is bowled. The former India spinner pays close attention to how players walk, move and carry themselves on the field, believing their body language can reveal qualities that statistics often cannot.
David, who served as India’s chief selector for five years and was part of the selection panel that picked the team that won the 2025 ODI World Cup, has now brought her instinctive approach to the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
“I can’t speak for what others do. But in terms of my process, what I like to see and what I think, according to me, is that the walking style of the players tells how the player will be,” David told IANS in an exclusive interview.
She said she watches players before matches to assess their movement and preparation, while also studying their body language before and after games.
“I tend to understand a player based on how their walking style is — whether it is very agile or slow or very mentally tough. Seeing that helps me gain the initial understanding,” she said.
David believes the WPL has also demonstrated that seemingly unprepared players can develop rapidly into international-quality cricketers. She cited Kranti Gaud and Sree Charani as examples of players who initially appeared unfamiliar but later revealed significant potential.
“There are a lot of things that we don’t understand. But when we set up a camp, we understand that we have chosen the right player,” she said.
David’s move to UP Warriorz came after she completed an assignment with the Bihar team. Initially seeking a short break, she accepted the opportunity following a call from franchise COO Kshemal Waingankar and consultation with a senior she considers important.
The transition from domestic scouting to franchise cricket has also required her to broaden her approach. While domestic selection involves tracking players from junior levels, her WPL role requires monitoring international cricket and leagues and tournaments in India and overseas.
“It is a little bit of a new thing, and the support staff of UP Warriorz has helped me a lot,” she said, describing the experience as challenging but interesting.
David said selecting players for a franchise brings an additional challenge because scouts must assess whether players can handle the pressure of competing alongside established international and national cricketers.
“For that, we have to see a lot of things,” she said. “Will she be able to play at that level or not? Will she be able to handle the pressure or not? This is a bit of a big challenge for us.”
She remains encouraged by the growth of India’s women’s cricket talent pool since the WPL began in 2023.
“Earlier, we had very few bench strength players. But now you will have so many players who can go to play for India,” David said, adding that stronger depth would increasingly provide backups for players affected by injuries.
UP Warriorz, who have yet to win the WPL and finished at the bottom of the table in the last two seasons, have already begun preparations for the 2027 campaign.
The franchise recently held an off-season camp in Bengaluru under head coach Abhishek Nayar and mentor Lisa Sthalekar. David said discussions focused on identifying the team’s preferred combination and assessing players who could be ready for the next season.
She said another camp could be organised after further discussions with the coaching staff, with the franchise continuing to assess options ahead of the auction.
“Our endeavour is that we are looking for good players for the future,” David said, adding that the final decisions would focus on identifying the types of players the team needs most and building the right combination for the 2027 season.
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