Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 13: At just 13, Swara Jadhav has emerged as one of the biggest stories in Indian women’s cricket this year. The Mumbai left-arm spinner captured the imagination of the cricketing fraternity by finishing as the joint-highest wicket-taker and winning the Purple Cap in the inaugural T20 Mumbai Women’s League, firmly establishing herself as one of India’s brightest young prospects.

Behind Swara’s remarkable rise is Deepali Rokade, one of Indian cricket’s most accomplished coaches and currently a senior coach with the Rajasthan Royals Academy USA. Over the past two decades, Rokade has quietly built a reputation as a talent developer whose students have progressed to represent national teams, state sides, and elite pathways across India, the United States, and Japan.

A former Maharashtra captain, Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Award winner, and an NIS and ECB-certified coach, Rokade has spent more than 24 years identifying, mentoring, and producing high-performance cricketers. Her unique coaching journey has taken her from Maharashtra to the United States, where she continues to develop the next generation of players through the Rajasthan Royals Academy USA while also leading cricket development programmes in New Jersey.

Swara Jadhav’s breakout season is only the latest chapter in an impressive coaching legacy. Rokade has mentored Aparna Gurumurthy (USA Women’s National Team), Disha Dhingra (USA Women’s National Team), Lassya Bandaru (USA Nationals), Shiv Nikam (Japan National Team), Snehal Jadhav, former Maharashtra Under-19 captain and current Chairperson of the Maharashtra Senior Women’s Cricket Committee, Suraj Shinde, who represented India’s SGFI Under-16 team at the Commonwealth Cricket Series in Australia, national player Kanchan Fajge, Ishaan Unnithan, who played the Under-15 Nationals, along with promising cricketers Amil Shah and Koundinya.

Her coaching credentials extend far beyond producing talented individuals. Rokade served as National Selector for USA Women’s and Under-19 Cricket, helping shape the USA Under-19 programme that qualified for the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup. Earlier, she coached Maharashtra’s Under-19 girls to National Championship titles in 2006, 2008, and 2011, guided India’s Under-16 School team to a silver medal at the Commonwealth Cricket Series in Australia, and was appointed as a selector for Maharashtra women’s cricket. She was also chosen by the Rajasthan Royals group to lead the inaugural coaching programme for NEOM in Abu Dhabi, reflecting her growing international stature as a coach.

At the Rajasthan Royals Academy USA, Rokade has played a key role in developing both boys’ and girls’ programmes, helping several players graduate to regional, national, and international cricket. She also established one of New Jersey’s most progressive girls’ cricket programmes and currently serves as Head Coach at West Windsor & Plainsboro High School, where she has built a structured cricket curriculum from the ground up.

“Every player is unique. My philosophy has always been to understand the individual first and then build a programme that brings out the best in them. Watching players like Swara Jadhav fulfil their potential and seeing others go on to represent their state or country is the greatest reward a coach can receive. My journey has always been about creating opportunities and helping young cricketers dream bigger,” said Deepali Rokade.

A decorated cricketer before becoming a coach, Rokade captained Maharashtra to two National Championship titles, won the Best All-Rounder in India award twice, and was conferred the prestigious Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Award, Maharashtra’s highest sporting honour. She is among the select few Indian coaches to hold both the National Institute of Sports (NIS) and England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) coaching certifications.

With one of India’s brightest teenage cricketers making headlines and several of her former students now representing countries across the world, Deepali Rokade’s influence on the game continues to grow. From Mumbai maidans to the Rajasthan Royals Academy USA and international cricket, her coaching journey is proving that world-class talent can be nurtured with the right guidance, vision, and commitment.

About Deepali Rokade

Deepali Rokade is an NIS and ECB-certified cricket coach with more than 24 years of experience as a player, coach, selector, and high-performance mentor. She has worked with the Maharashtra Cricket Association, School Games Federation of India, USA Cricket, Rajasthan Royals Academy USA, and several elite development programmes, producing players who have gone on to represent India, the USA, Japan, and various state teams.

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