From Player to Coach: D. Kalyani’s Journey to Inspire Young Women Cricketers
They say, “When one door closes, another opens.” Few stories show that better than D. Kalyani’s. A former Andhra cricketer, she turned her own heartbreak into a mission to guide the next generation of women cricketers in Visakhapatnam.
At the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, the sun sets behind the stands as young girls train hard — their throws sharp, their footwork quick, their eyes on the future. Watching closely is Kalyani, a Level-1 coach with the Visakhapatnam District Cricket Academy. Many of Andhra’s top players have learned under her guidance.
“My dream was to play for India. Now my goal is to help these girls achieve that dream,” says the 39-year-old with quiet confidence.
Kalyani fell in love with cricket when she was seven. She played gully cricket with boys in her neighbourhood. “People laughed at me for holding a bat,” she says. “But I didn’t care. My father and brother believed in me, and that was enough.”
Her life changed when she passed the district selection trials — something she did just to prove her brother wrong after a joke. “That trial changed everything,” she smiles.
But her journey wasn’t easy. Kalyani married at 19, then suffered an ankle injury and a road accident that left her bedridden for three years. Her playing career ended suddenly. “It was painful to stop, but cricket was part of who I was,” she says.
With help from her friend and fellow coach Kavitha, Kalyani started coaching. She first trained schoolgirls for free and later joined the ACA-VDCA Academy full-time. “Coaching gave me purpose again. I realised I could live my dream through my students,” she says.
Her training focuses on mental strength. “I often make the girls play against boys — it builds confidence, reflexes, and discipline,” she explains.
Her work has produced results. Shabnam Shakil, who played in India’s U-19 World Cup-winning team, and Thanmai, who represents Andhra at the U-23 level, both trained under her. “Kalyani ma’am taught us the basics that still help us today,” says Shabnam.
“When I started, only a few girls came for practice. Now, there are hundreds,” Kalyani says proudly. “At one point, ten of the fifteen players in the Andhra women’s team were from Vizag.”
She thanks the Visakhapatnam District Cricket Association for its strong support. “Training under floodlights, open nets, and white-ball sessions have given our girls real experience,” she says.
After training more than a hundred players, Kalyani now dreams of making Vizag a national hub for women’s cricket. “You’ll soon hear names like Tamanna and Madhu Sanjana,” she says with a smile.
As she returns to the nets, her voice carries across the field — firm and full of belief. “Front foot closer, head still!” The young batter adjusts, the ball races to the boundary — and another dream moves one step closer to reality.