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A fresh name for Indian women's cricket, Gautami Naik has captivated attention most recently after a commendable outing in the WPL 2026 season. The story of Gautami is one of sheer hard work, the gully cricket beginnings, and an upward rise through domestic cricket. Her proudest moment must surely be the day of her debut for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for a girl who once played “gully cricket” with rubber balls in the lanes of her neighborhood.

 

From Gully Cricket to State Level

 

The gully cricket days for Gautami commenced in the narrow lanes of her hometown, playing against local boys. Gautami loved batting and hitting those mighty blows into the air with great style since she was very young.

 

The actual turning point in her life came almost 10-12 years ago when coach Avinash Shinde saw her playing in a local match. He took her under his wings, worked hard to develop her skills, and soon after Gautami found herself being selected in the Maharashtra U-23 setup.

 

However, breaking into the Maharashtra senior team was tough, thanks to the strong squad, and it didn't help her chances when the COVID-19 pandemic came knocking. Instead of stopping, Gautami made a bold career move which changed the scenario.

 

Also Read | Watch: Harleen Deol Pulls Off Kapil Dev-Style Catch in WPL Clash

 

The Nagaland Move That Changed Her Career

 

Gautami moved to Nagaland along with fellow players Kiran Navgire and Poonam Khemnar to continue their play at the higher echelons. This decision proved to be quite fruitful, as she transformed into an asset for Nagaland, being instrumental in the team's rise from the Plate group to the Elite division in the domestic circuit.

 

At this time, Gautami also made news outside of Nagaland:

 

• Noticed by former India wicketkeeper Kiran More during one exhibition match in Pune.
• This facilitated trials for Mumbai Indians and an enriching stint with Baroda.
• She was the third-highest run-scorer in the Women’s Maharashtra Premier League 2025, scoring 173 runs for Ratnagiri Jets.
• She opened the innings with her idol Smriti Mandhana, now captain of RCB Women.
• She contributed to Maharashtra's title victory in the Senior Women's T20 Trophy 2025, and in a One-Day match against Bihar, she impressively scored an unbeaten 70 and took four wickets.

 

WPL Auction and RCB Debut

 

Emotional moment for Gautami and her family at WPL 2026 Auction. RCB has signed hered for INR 10 lakh, fulfilling her dream of many years. She gives credit to her mother, brother, and sister-in-law for having helped her through her financial difficulties and training cost.

 

Her formal debut was on January 12, 2026, held against UP Warriorz at DY Patil Stadium. She neither batted nor bowled in that match; however, her selection indicated that the RCB management saw skillful all-rounder abilities in her.

 

Also Read | Who is Ayushi Soni? Gujarat Giants Batter Who Became First to be Retired-Out in WPL History

 

Breakout Knock vs Gujarat Giants

 

 

In her RCB colors, on January 19, 2026, for the 13th match of the season against Gujarat Giants Women at Kotambi Stadium, Gautami stepped in after RCB lost early wickets. She played a mature but aggressive innings of 73 runs off 55 balls and her innings comprised of seven fours and one six.

 

Her innings lifted RCB to 176, and after a shaky start, it gave them an appearance of a fighting chance. Gautami's innings attracted praise from commentators and fans alike, really marking her entrance onto the big stage.

 

Playing Style and Inspirations

 

• Role: Right-handed batter and off-break bowler
• Style: Aggressive batting with the ability to hit boundaries and rotate strike
• Bowling: Useful off-spin in powerplay or middle overs
• Idols: MS Dhoni and Ellyse Perry

 

She admiration for Perry’s professionalism and currently shares with her a dressing room at RCB.