Former India cricketer Veda Krishnamurthy has expressed strong support for Shweta Sehrawat's transfer from UP Warriorz to Mumbai Indians ahead of the upcoming Women's Premier League (WPL) season, arguing the move gives the young batter a genuine opportunity to reclaim her natural game after a difficult stint at her previous franchise.

What Veda Said

Speaking to JioStar, Veda said the conditions at UP Warriorz had placed an unfair burden on Sehrawat, with the team's batting frailties consistently funnelling pressure onto one young player. 'I am really happy about Shweta Sehrawat joining Mumbai Indians because it's a team that will give her the freedom to play her natural game. In her previous team, the responsibility of scoring runs was entirely on her shoulders, and the batters around her were not contributing much, which put more pressure on Shweta and affected her game. Now that she's with Mumbai, she will get the chance to learn from the best and develop properly as a youngster,' Veda said.

How UP Warriorz Mismanaged Sehrawat's Development

Shweta Sehrawat entered the inaugural WPL season with enormous expectations, having been the top scorer for the Indian side in the Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup. Rather than being settled into a fixed role, she was repeatedly shuffled through the batting order and was eventually handed wicketkeeping duties — a responsibility that, Veda argued, stretched a young player too thin.

'She was tried in different positions in the batting order there. She is technically an opener, and UP management used her as a finisher. Then she was made a wicketkeeper overnight and expected to do magic. I felt that was too much to ask of a youngster,' Veda added.

What Mumbai Indians Offer

At Mumbai Indians, Sehrawat will train and compete alongside a star-studded international roster, including Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews, and Amelia Kerr. The franchise is widely regarded as one of the best-resourced environments in women's franchise cricket, offering depth in batting that could ease the pressure that defined Sehrawat's earlier seasons.

The Bigger Picture for Indian Women's Cricket

Sehrawat's trajectory is a broader reminder of the challenges facing young Indian women cricketers as they transition from age-group success to the intensity of franchise cricket. The WPL, now entering its next edition, has increasingly become a proving ground where talent is either nurtured or prematurely burdened with senior responsibilities. Notably, Sehrawat's situation mirrors cases in men's franchise cricket where top-order batters have been misdeployed by franchises chasing short-term results.

With the WPL season approaching, all eyes will be on whether Sehrawat — freed from positional uncertainty — can finally deliver on the promise that made her one of Indian women's cricket's most anticipated young talents.