'Medium Pacers Are Alive Because Of Ice Baths': The Method Behind Shikha Pandey's Longevity

Medium Pacers Thrive on Recovery Science: Shikha Pandey on Longevity, Prep & the Indian Wave in WCPL

Shikha Pandey isn't hiding her science-nerd side, and honestly, it's exactly why her career is still going strong. She last played for India at the 2023 W T20 WC, but the 5-wicket haul she's compiled so far in the 2026 WCPL says otherwise. Her secret? Recovery discipline.

"Alive Because of Ice Baths"

Speaking to IANS at a FanCode session, TKR's Shikha laid it out plainly:

> "Medium pacers literally thrive on ice baths and are alive because of ice baths."

She travels with her own compression boots, lives for mobility work and stretching, and leans on TKR's recovery setup — physio TJ, trainer-turned-massage-therapist Jamie. On the ageing-pacer debate raised in the dugout (Marizanne Kapp was literally padding up to bat nearby), she stayed calm:

> "The skill isn't going to go anywhere. It's just about keeping fit. The less stressed you are, the better you do."

Meticulous Prep — Before She Even Bowls

As a retired IAF squadron leader, prep is religion. On slower Caribbean surfaces, she pre-games the pitch and tunes her kit:

> "On slower pitches, you work on slower balls, plus deliveries that don't depend on the pitch — yorkers, etc. I watch videos and research every league's surfaces before the first net session."

On Pace-Bowling Squads — Conditions Don't Dictate Selection

She singled out TKR's lefty/righty medium pacers Jannillea Glasgow and U19 star Jahzara Claxton as "gold dust," but pushed back on the old school of thought:

> "I'm not a firm believer that you pick a team based on conditions. If your main bowlers are pacers, they'll bowl anywhere."

The Indian Wave is Here

Back in her first TKR season, it was just her and Jemimah Rodrigues. Now Yastika Bhatia joins TKR, with Pooja Vastrakar, Harleen Deol and Kiran Navgire at Barbados Tridents — plenty of Hindi in the lobby. On Pooja:

> "She's a superstar. She told me foreign batters attack you from ball one — different from how we traditionally play. That mindset shift keeps you ready."

She sees these leagues as a real pathway, even for comebacks, and getting noticed beyond domestic cricket.

How She Wants to Be Remembered

No stats requested. Her answer?

> "As a good teammate, not a good athlete. I was never very talented — I had to put in a lot of hard work. If you're ready to struggle, you can achieve anything."

And her real measure of success?

> "If even one girl came out to watch me play and got inspired to pick up cricket — that's the huge achievement."

Source: IANS

Source: Cricketnmore