Punam Raut

A technically solid top-order batter who generally likes to open the batting, Punam Raut's biggest moment of fame came in 2017, eight years after her international debut. She was involved in a record-breaking opening partnership of 320 with Deepti Sharma, a mammoth stand that also went past records from the men's game. Punam has been a consistent performer for India since her initiation into international cricket. She doesn't always make those big scores and nor is she extremely flamboyant. However, what Punam has is a strong temperament and can tackle vicious spells from opponent bowlers with reasonable ease. She generally acts as the glue at the top of the order, quite the role senior player Mithali Raj did in the middle order. Amidst attacking and fragile batters in the Indian side, Punam comes across as a whiff of fresh air in terms of solidity.

By Hariprasad Sadanandan