Niki Prasad, U19 Women's cricket prodigy, idolizes Rahul Dravid
What's the story
India's U19 Women's cricket team captain, 19-year-old Niki Prasad, has openly declared her admiration for former Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid. Prasad, who is currently in Malaysia for the U19 Women's T20 World Cup, said that she has been inspired by Dravid since childhood. She also revealed that she used to study his batting techniques by watching his videos. Here's what she had to say about her admiration for 'The Wall' of Indian cricket.
Personal encounters
Prasad's interactions with Dravid and his son
Prasad, who also hails from Karnataka like Dravid, remembered playing against his son Samit's team. She said she would be thrilled when Dravid would come to watch them play. "He used to come to the ground and watch all of us play and that's when I used to be really excited," she said in a video shared on ICC's social media platforms.
Admiration
Prasad cherishes Dravid's humility and calmness
Prasad stressed that Dravid's humility and calmness continue to inspire her. "And he still inspires me because he's very humble, he's very calm. And that's my nature," she said. Notably, the young cricketer will play for the Delhi Capitals in the 2025 Women's Premier League (WPL), further solidifying her spot in India's growing cricketing future.
Jersey significance
Prasad's jersey number and admiration for AB de Villiers
Prasad also shared an interesting story about her jersey number, which is the same as Dravid's-19. She had initially picked this number thinking it was that of former South African cricketer AB de Villiers. "But later on I realized it was my idol's jersey number, and then I was still happy with it," she said. Meanwhile, this coincidence only strengthens her connection with Dravid.