VJ Joshitha

Vellapally Joshi, also referred to as VJ Joshitha, is a right-handed batter and right-arm medium-pace bowler. Joshitha, a Kerela native, was born on July 24, 2006. She plays for RCB in the Women's Premier League (WPL) and Kerela Women's team in the domestic circuit. She is a rising star for the nation as her control and pace battery gets better.

Joshitha's fascination with cricket began at a tender young age and continued to grow. Her parents chose to enrol her in a cricket academy where her coaches developed her abilities as they recognized her potential. She quickly rose to fame in the area thanks to her thrilling performances in both school-level and local competitions. She decided to concentrate on her pace bowling, which produced consistent success. 

Joshitha began her career by playing domestic cricket with the Kerela Women's side across various age categories. The selectors were drawn to her spectacular performance, and RCB's scouting team kept tabs on her development. In the mini-auction held in December 2024, RCB decided to make room in the squad for Joshitha for the WPL season. Given that prominent athletes like Asha Sobhana and Shreyanka Patil were in the headlines for injuries, her injection was also a team tactic.  

Joshitha views her inclusion in the Women's Under-19 T20 World Cup 2025 Squad of India as a career milestone, and her inclusion in the RCB squad wasn't the only result of her consistent performances. In January 2025, she gave one of the tournament's most impressive performances against Sri Lanka. She undoubtedly won the Player of the Match award for her outstanding powerplay performance, which included grabbing two early wickets and finishing with two wickets for just five runs. This performance demonstrated her ability to execute well under pressure, in addition to her bowling prowess. 

Within the RCB-W setup, Joshitha is viewed as a promising prospect for the future. Her ability to swing the ball and deliver in crucial moments adds depth to the team's bowling arsenal. 

In the opening game of WPL season 2, the defending champions RCB unleashed Joshitha against the Gujarat Giants women. Her debut wasn’t one of the extraordinary; she had a tough day bowling her full quota of four overs, conceding 43 runs without a wicket. 

However, in the second match against the Delhi Capitals, the squad, the support staff, and skipper Smriti Mandhana chose to support her. She appeared to have more control this time as she bowled her two overs, giving up 21 runs. Her progress has been greatly aided by these early WPL games, which have taught her how to handle pressure and hone her abilities against elite hitters.

Joshitha’s career is in its early stages, but her track record suggests a bright future. Her performance in youth internationals and her induction into WPL is just the beginning of the greats. 

(As of February 2025)