Born on 1st June 1991 in Bijapur, Karnataka is current Test, ODI and T20 International player for India, Rajeshwari Shivanand Gayakwad.
Rajeshwari is a left-arm slow bowler and right-hand batter, and made her First Class debut for Karnataka in 2007/08. The following season she made her List A (50 over) and T20 debut for the state.
In 2013/14 she made her international debut for the Women in Blue in both ODI and T20 Internationals against Sri Lanka. She immediately opened her wicket tally with 2-11 and 3-24 respectively.
In 2014 tragedy struck. Rajeshwari’s father passed away, leaving behind a wife and five daughters. It left the young spin bowler as the sole breadwinner for the family and they have since struggled, moving from one rental property to the next.
“We have been continuously changing houses. My daughter is a successful international cricketer but we still don’t own a house,” Rajeshwari’s Mother told Times of India.
She has played two Tests, her debut against South Africa in 2014/15 taking 5-80 for match with a best of 4-54 and against Australia in 2021/22.
In ODIs she has played in two World Cups, 2017 and 2022 while in T20 Internationals has played in three World Cups, the most recent being 2022/23 in South Africa.