Vaishnavi Sharma is a product of two Gs – grah and Google. The left-arm spinner who made her debut for India in the first T20I against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam owes her career to her astrologist father, Dr. Narendra Sharma.

“According to Vaishnavi’s horoscope, she had two avenues of success — medicine and sport. I thought that if she became a doctor, the city would know her, but if she succeeds in a sport, the world would,” he told the The Hindu.

Narendra moved mountains for his son and daughter. Vaishnavi picked up a bat and ball at age four and never looked back. She made the Madhya Pradesh under-16 team at the age of 11, and the atmosphere there fuelled her interest further.

“Whenever we encountered a difficulty in training, we would quickly Google how to tackle it and give her routines accordingly.”

“I work on a contract basis with Jiwaji University, and there were times when I had to quit for a bit and stay at home so I could work on Vaishnavi. I am a PHD in astrology and the only one with that qualification in Gwalior. But my daughter took precedence.”

“Once, to finance what we needed, I got a bond put on the house I constructed for about ₹25 lakh. COVID-19 brought more problems, and I had to sell the house.”

No takers in the Women’s Premier League auction dented Vaishnavi’s confidence, but Narendra was unfazed. “I reassured her that something bigger was in her destiny. A few days later, the India call-up arrived.”

Despite going wicketless on debut due to botched efforts in the field, she was the most economical, conceding 16 runs in four overs.

Vaishnavi too entrusts the big troubles to cosmic powers as she focuses on the one thing she does best – play cricket. “Whatever happens, it will be good. Let’s leave it to God.”