Indian Women's U-19 team are all set to play the 2nd edition of U-19 Women's World Cup. The defending champions are raring to go out there and defend the title. All the players from different parts of the nation are gearing up to the herculean task of keeping a billion hopes alive in the tournament which begins tomorrow for the team. And out of all the future stars of the national cricket team, stands tall Drithi Kesari, a girl from Ramanthapur, Hyderabad.

The right arm off break bowler from Hyderabad making her way into the Indian squad for the world cup is a matter of pride for everyone. Daughter of former Hyderabad Ranji player, Srikant Kesari and health nutritionist Lavanya Kesari, Drithi is keen to follow the footsteps of her father to make it big in cricket. With a total of 155 wickets and 695 runs in 115 matches she has played at league, national and international level, she is already proving her worth in the team. She was a part of the Asia Cup winning squad of 2024. Women's Asia Cup, and played a significant role in the team's success on the occasions she got a chance to play.

Her selection for the World Cup was certainly not a surprise, especially for those who knew the hard yards she put in from the age of 13. Her initial rigorous training at the Ramanaidu Cricket Academy under the guidance of experienced coaches and her father Srikant Kesari was pivotal in shaping her career. And equally important was her mother's role which yielded Drithi great results in her fitness aspect. A collective result of all this was that one saw Drithi rattle the stumps and dismiss the batters frequently, while also providing some handy runs with the bat for her team. And now she eagerly awaits to emulate the same for her nation in the world cup.

Drithi's stark feature is her ability of never giving up. She has inherited her abilities from her parents. When her father continues to play veteran's cricket along with Chris Gayle, even in his late 40's, it is evident to see a reflection of those qualities in Drithi. A blend of her spinning the web to dismiss the opposition, making crucial runs for the team and her ability of never giving up, make her a very promising player to watch out in this tournament. Today, only a handful of people might know Drithi, but very soon, she'll be a household name. On this day, we pray that the same happens soon. We wholeheartedly wish her the best for the World Cup and hope that she returns to the homeland with that prestigious trophy.