Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has heaped praise on India’s young left-arm spinner Sree Charani for her remarkable performance in the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup, calling her one of the biggest reasons behind India’s title triumph.
The 39-year-old veteran analysed the 21-year-old’s bowling mechanics and mental strength on his YouTube channel, describing her as a “superstar in the making.”
Charani’s breakout World Cup campaign
Charani had a dream debut tournament, finishing the 2025 Women’s World Cup with 14 wickets in nine matches at an average of 27.64, including vital performances in the knockout stages.
In the semi-final, she took 2 for 49, and in the final, she held her nerve with figures of 1 for 48, helping India clinch a historic World Cup title.
Ashwin credited her composure under pressure, saying her ability to stay focused in crucial moments stood out for such a young player.
“She crushed the World Cup. She is the biggest reason for India to win this World Cup. She is going to be a superstar bowler in the future,” Ashwin said.
Technical brilliance compared to global greats
Breaking down her bowling technique, Ashwin drew comparisons between Charani and some of the world’s best spinners, including Sophie Ecclestone, Jess Jonassen, and Sophie Molineux.
“Her ball rotation is at the correct speed. It matches Sophie Ecclestone, Jess Jonassen or Sophie Molineux. Her weight transfer is perfect — she goes into a lovely side-on position, and her hand comes through beautifully. There is no collapse anywhere, no energy leakage,” Ashwin explained.
The Tamil Nadu cricketer added that Charani’s technical maturity, despite her age, was proof of the strong domestic structure and mentorship within the women’s cricket setup.
Ashwin draws parallels with iconic Indian victories
Ashwin also reflected on India’s women’s cricket journey, drawing parallels between Harmanpreet Kaur’s World Cup-winning team and the landmark victories achieved by Kapil Dev in 1983 and MS Dhoni in 2007 and 2011.
“The thing is, coming from a place like this, Harmanpreet Kaur would have seen a lot of disappointments — like the 2017 final against England. She has seen heartbreaks, but she kept believing,” Ashwin said.
“The seed she has sown — after 10 or 20 years, like how Kapil Dev sowed it, how Dhoni sowed it — we will talk about this World Cup win the same way,” he added.
Legacy for Indian women’s cricket
India’s 2025 World Cup victory has been hailed as a turning point for women’s cricket in the country, inspiring a new generation of players. With youngsters like Sree Charani leading the way, experts believe the foundation has been laid for sustained global dominance.
Ashwin’s tribute underlines the growing recognition of women’s cricket achievements within India’s broader cricketing legacy — signalling that the next era of Indian cricket superstars may well come from the women’s side.