Renuka Singh Thakur: From Mountain Lanes to World Cup Glory
From mountain lanes to the world stage, Renuka Singh Thakur turned hardship into glory. Her journey from rag balls to the World Cup shows that courage can create champions.
Renuka Singh Thakur was born on 2 January 1996 in Parsa village, Shimla district. When she was only three, her father passed away, leaving her mother Sunita to raise Renuka and her brother Vinod on a small government salary. Sunita later took her husband’s Class-IV job to support the family.
Their father loved cricket so much that he named Vinod after cricketer Vinod Kambli. Vinod even gave up his own cricket dreams so Renuka could train instead. Growing up in the mountains, Renuka played cricket with boys using wooden bats and rag balls, building her strength and passion.
Her uncle, Bhupinder Singh Thakur, a PE teacher, saw her talent and helped her join the HPCA academy in Dharamsala in 2009. Despite many challenges, including being dropped from the U-19 team and her brother’s accident, she refused to give up.
Renuka made her T20 debut for India in October 2021 against Australia and got a job with Indian Railways soon after. Her big break came in 2023 when RCB bought her for ?1.5 crore in the first WPL auction, making her mother laugh in disbelief.
She took 11 wickets in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, helping India win silver, and played a key role in India’s 2025 World Cup final win over South Africa. Even after a shin fracture in 2024, she returned stronger.
Renuka lives simply in Himachal, cherishing her family and village. Her story shows that even from small villages, great dreams can rise and shine on the world stage.
