Monica Patel is a left-arm medium pacer who plays for the India women’s cricket team and for Karnataka in domestic competitions. 

The pacer has represented Karnataka at various age groups, and she caught the eyes of the selectors in a U23 ODI tournament in 2019. Chasing 143 against Delhi, Monica played a gritty knock of 43, but her valiant efforts went in vain as Delhi eventually won the match comfortably. Patel was the lone warrior for her team but couldn’t drag the team past the victory line.

Impressive performances for Karnataka earned her a place in the ODI squad for the series against South Africa. Eyebrows were raised when Patel was selected in the squad purely because she hasn’t played much cricket to justify her place. 

In her debut match, Patel was run-out in the match and could not pick up a single wicket as India lost the match.

She was dropped from the next three ODI matches but made a comeback in the last match of the series, and again she went wicket-less as the South Africa women’s team won the series 4-1. 

Patel has a long road ahead if she wants to cement her place permanently in the Indian squad. A wily medium pace bowler, Patel brings something different to this Indian attack and the upcoming international schedule will be her litmus test.

(As of Mar 21)