Vanitha VR Factfile: Everything you need to know about RCB Women’s team’s Fielding Coach and Scout

Vanitha VR was named the Fielding Coach and the Scout of the RCB Women’s team as announced on Wednesday. She was seen at the auction table for RCB during the inaugural WPL auction strategising with the management, and here’s everything you need to know about the former Team India player.

Born in 1990, Vaintha VR began her first steps towards playing cricket professionally at the age of 11 when she was enrolled by her father at the Karnataka Institute of Cricket. At just the age of 12, she made it to the Karnataka Under-19 squad and by 2006 had made her debut for the senior Karnataka women’s team.

After an eight-year grind in the senior domestic circuit, an India call-up would arrive for the then 23-year old in an ODI against Sri Lanka. Having played 6 and 16 T20Is at the highest level, the Karnataka batter decided to call it a day from the international game in 2022. At the time of announcing her retirement, Vanitha had called it “not the end but the beginning of a new challenge”; and that new challenge was to be with RCB.

Having been around the Indian domestic circuit for almost two decades, Vanitha brings plenty of experience and knowledge from the women’s game at the grassroots level. This also turned out to be key for RCB’s scouting and recruitment process as revealed by RCB Chairman, Prathamesh Mishra post the inaugural WPL auction. “Appointing former India cricketer Vanitha VR as our scout was a key in that process. She comes with huge experience and knowledge of the domestic circuit as well as the contemporary cricketers from world over,” he revealed.

Vanitha will also take over as the Fielding Coach for the RCB Women’s team as revealed by Mike Hesson.  “She’s from Karnataka, she’s been running our women’s scouting program. She will come on as Fielding Coach, and also offer some batting skills as well. So, really pleased to have her on board,” the Director of Cricket Operations for RCB had said. 

A former Indian cricketer who has also ground it out at the domestic level and has knowledge and understanding of the backgrounds and struggles of young women taking up the sport, Vanitha’s addition as the Fielding Coach and Scout will add plenty of value to the RCB Women’s team’s backroom.