Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Smriti Mandhana (born July 18, 1996) is an Indian cricketer and one of the world’s leading women’s batters. Discover her journey from Sangli to international stardom, her records, playing style, and inspiring quotes.

Introduction

Smriti Shriniwas Mandhana (born 18 July 1996) is an Indian international cricketer and an opening batter known for her elegant stroke play, fearless approach, and consistency across formats.

Over the past decade, Mandhana has become a pillar of India’s women’s cricket team, breaking multiple records and inspiring a generation of young cricketers, especially girls, to pursue the sport.

Early Life and Family

Smriti Mandhana was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra to parents Smita and Shrinivas Mandhana.

When she was about two years old, her family relocated to Madhavnagar, a suburb of Sangli in Maharashtra, where she grew up and completed her schooling.

Her father worked as a chemical distributor, and her mother was a homemaker.

Smriti’s brother, Shravan, played cricket at youth levels in Maharashtra, and watching him practice was an influence on her own early development.

She attended Chintaman Rao College of Commerce in Sangli.

As a child, she would wake up early to practice batting — she has said she used to wait until her brother finished his practice so she could hit 10–15 balls at the end.

Youth & Entry into Cricket

Smriti’s talent showed early. By age 9, she was selected for Maharashtra’s Under-15 team; by 11, she was part of the Maharashtra Under-19 setup.

As a teenager, she scored a century for Maharashtra, a milestone she has said helped solidify her choice to pursue cricket as a career when she was around 15 or 16.

Despite societal expectations and stereotypes, she remained resolute in her ambition. In interviews, she has mentioned that earlier she felt not scoring runs was the worst thing in the world, but later realized that even getting to don the Indian jersey was a gift.

International Career & Achievements

Debut & Rise

• Smriti made her ODI debut for India on 10 April 2013 against Bangladesh at age 16.

• On the same tour, she also debuted in T20 Internationals.

• She made her Test debut on 13 August 2014 against England.

She soon established herself as a key opener for India, known for her balance between aggression and timing.

Records & Milestones

• She holds the distinction of being the first Indian woman cricketer to score centuries in all three international formats (Tests, ODIs, and T20Is).

• As of mid-2025, she has played over 100 ODIs and 140+ T20Is.

• Her batting averages are impressive: in ODIs she averages close to 47.9, with 13 centuries and 32 fifties.

• In Tests, she has scored two centuries and multiple fifties, with a top score of 149.

• In 2024, she became the fastest Indian woman to complete 4,000 runs in ODIs and scored a century in 70 balls—the fastest by an Indian woman in an ODI.

• In April 2025, she was named Wisden’s Leading Woman Cricketer of the year after a stellar season.

• In December 2024, she reclaimed the record for most international runs in a calendar year (1,602 runs) across all formats for women’s cricket.

Franchises & Domestic Cricket

• She has consistently represented Maharashtra in domestic cricket.

• She has also played in top franchises abroad: Brisbane Heat (WBBL) Western Storm in England Hobart Hurricanes Southern Brave in The Hundred

• In 2023, she was bought by Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) for ₹3.4 crore—the highest bid in that auction.

• Under her leadership, RCB won their maiden WPL title in 2024, and Mandhana was instrumental as a run-scorer and captain.

Playing Style & Personality

Smriti Mandhana is revered for her elegant strokeplay, especially through covers and drives, and her ability to adapt to pace and spin alike. She combines technical soundness with fearless intent.

Her mindset is often emphasized: she has said she sees each time she goes out to bat as a "fresh start," not burdened by past scores.

She believes in constant growth and learning, acknowledging that failures teach more than success.

Physically, she is known for fitness, agility, and athletic fielding — she often contributes not just with the bat but also in the field.

Mandhana is also known to be private but open when sharing her passion for cricket, family support, and the importance of mental balance.

Famous Quotes

Here are some of Smriti Mandhana’s memorable words:

“I used to feel like not scoring runs is the worst thing in life but I started thinking: ‘No, at least I’m getting to go out on the field wearing the Indian jersey.’ Not many get to do that. I am lucky.”

“Whenever we have some time to ourselves I prefer to go back to my room and hit the bed.”

“I had the freedom to choose my entire life and have been supported throughout by my family.”

“I followed in my brother’s footsteps. I used to wake up at 5 a.m, and wait for him to complete his cricket practice just so I could play the 10-15 balls pitched to me at the end.”

“The loss in the final of the 2017 World Cup really inspired me to do a lot better. I worked a lot on my batting as I didn’t want to go back to that phase again.”

“We all ran back first thinking that they are here to beat us because we lost the World Cup.”

These quotes reflect her humility, drive, and reflective nature as an athlete.

Lessons from Smriti Mandhana

1. Gratitude enhances perspective
   Her shift in mindset from “failure is worst” to “I’m grateful to represent India” shows how gratitude can buffer pressure.

2. Each performance is a new opportunity
   The philosophy of treating every innings as a fresh start helps avoid being haunted by past failures.

3. Growth through adversity
   The 2017 World Cup final loss became fuel for her determination to improve.

4. Support of family matters
   She credits her family’s backing and the space to choose her path as critical to her journey.

5. Consistency across formats is rare
   Her ability to perform in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is and break records in all three is testament to adaptability and a strong work ethic.

Conclusion

Smriti Mandhana is more than just a batting star—she is a symbol of modern women’s cricket in India. Her trajectory from Sangli’s lanes to the grandest stages of international cricket is a story of talent, mental strength, and perseverance.

As she continues to play at high levels and break new ground, her influence will endure—on scoreboards, on young cricketers’ dreams, and in the evolving narrative of women’s sport in India and beyond.