New Delhi, September 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
For India all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar, her ongoing stint in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) has been about much more than cricket. After a lengthy injury layoff, the seam-bowling all-rounder says she has developed a new outlook — to stop overthinking and live in the present.
Before a recent interaction, former India cricketer Shikha Pandey asked Vastrakar what she had learnt from her time in the Caribbean. Her answer had little to do with bowling or batting.
Vastrakar said she had learnt from Caribbean cricketer Qiana Joseph to enjoy the present and appreciate small things, adding that Indians often tend to overthink their games and other aspects of life.
The philosophy has taken root during a difficult phase of her career. Vastrakar underwent shoulder surgery after the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup for a torn supraspinatus tendon. Her rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru lasted nearly nine months before a hamstring injury delayed her return.
The 27-year-old had already undergone right-knee ACL reconstruction in 2017 and another surgery on her left knee the following year. Her latest injury, however, changed her perspective considerably.
Vastrakar recalled the loneliness of spending extended periods at the rehabilitation centre, away from the team environment that defines cricket.
“When you go to the rehab, the feeling of loneliness is very strong, and it eats you up from the inside. At the same time, it teaches you a lot and makes you stronger,” she said.
She added that rehabilitation had taught her about her body, training, physiotherapy and load management. Her experience has become so extensive that other players now approach her for advice about minor injuries.
Vastrakar credited her family, close friends, CoE staff and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) management for helping her through the difficult period. She particularly valued the faith shown by RCB when she returned towards the end of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), initially as a specialist batter.
“They told me to come and will take care of me and even said that my batting is enough for them. That helps a lot because at one time, I thought that I was not enough,” she recalled.
She said the experience also taught her that players returning from injuries can continue to experience biomechanical changes even after receiving a fitness clearance, and that such changes should not automatically be interpreted as signs of injury.
Vastrakar’s bowling action, fortunately, remained largely unaffected. She acknowledged that returning to bowling after a long layoff required a longer warm-up and an adjustment to the workload, but said the body gradually adapts.
Her association with RCB also gave her valuable lessons in match planning, particularly the importance of having multiple options for different situations.
Later, while leading Chambal Ghariyals to the MP T20 League title, Vastrakar bowled sparingly, choosing to give opportunities to younger players in the squad. She said the development pathway for young cricketers has also improved, with coaches increasingly encouraging players to become all-rounders.
Vastrakar has not yet produced a major impact in the WCPL, but remains upbeat about her Barbados Tridents campaign and believes the tournament can provide valuable opportunities for players seeking a return to the international side.
It has been nearly two years since she last played for India, but Vastrakar is refusing to get consumed by thoughts of a comeback.
Instead, she has chosen to focus on the present.
“I don’t have to think about or to manifest for the result. I have to manifest for the moment and live in that moment,” she said.
“If it is today’s moment and my match is happening, then my routine before the match should be my best routine. I should bowl four overs and do a good warm-up before the match. Whatever the result is, I should follow the process as we become result-oriented a lot and forget the process.”
“I want to live in the present and be in that moment,” she added.
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