Rahila Firdous (Pic credit: Mumbai Indians) NEW DELHI: Rahila Firdous has already ticked off several milestones in her young career. From playing elegant cover drives inspired by Virat Kohli to studying MS Dhoni’s videos to sharpen her wicketkeeping skills, the Bhopal-born cricketer has shaped her game by learning from the very best.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Even before her rise on the cricket field, she also fulfilled a cherished family dream by earning an engineering degree, completing her B.Tech while continuing to chase her passion for cricket. For Rahila, balancing textbooks and training sessions became a way of life, with academics and sport progressing hand in hand.
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After delivering a series of impressive performances for Madhya Pradesh on the domestic circuit, Rahila is now poised to take a big leap in her career. The talented wicketkeeper has been picked up by Mumbai Indians for Rs 10 lakh at the Women’s Premier League auction, earning her first opportunity to feature in the marquee tournament.Known for her sharp work behind the stumps and her ability to contribute valuable runs down the order, Rahila has also showcased her leadership qualities by captaining Madhya Pradesh. She credits much of her approach to the influence of Dhoni and now looks forward to learning under Mumbai Indians skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.Under Harmanpreet’s leadership, Mumbai Indians have lifted the WPL title twice, in 2023 and 2025.
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“I admire Virat Kohli for his impact and MS Dhoni for his calm leadership and decision-making. I really like MS Dhoni and take lessons from his keeping skills. T20 cricket is very fast and requires quick decisions. Captaincy experience has helped me guide bowlers, manage the field, and handle leadership responsibilities,” Rahila told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.”It’s a huge opportunity to play under Harman didi (Harmanpreet Kaur). I admire her leadership and batting a lot,” she added.”Playing under her will help me learn many aspects of leadership. WPL is a massive platform. Domestic players get direct exposure. Performing well in WPL can completely change a player’s career. Many players have reached international level through this platform,” she said.”First, I would like to hug her. I want to observe her captaincy closely and learn from her. This is going to be a huge learning experience for me,” Rahila said.Rahila credited her consistent performances in domestic cricket as the key factor behind earning a contract with the Mumbai Indians this season.”I expected a deal with Mumbai Indians. Because my performances were very good at the trials. I got a lot of praise and tips from the senior players. I did well in the Mumbai Indians trials, especially with the bat. I am looking for a wonderful season with them,” she said.Defending champions Mumbai Indians will kick off their campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday.