TOP OF THE CHARTS: Harmanpreet Kaur runs away clear winner as best lady sports star of 2025

In the good old days, when one picked the best Indian athlete, there was a strong bias against women. Times have changed. Today, India depends on the girls/ladies/women who set records, breach barriers and shine in the sporting arena.

From Jyothi Yarraji’s run in the 100m hurdles at the Asian Athletics Championship to the boxers winning a clutch of medals, there has been immense celebration. After all, in boxing, what Jaismine Lamboria and Minakshi Hooda did inside the ring was praiseworthy at the World Championship.

In chess, where India’s young girls, as well as seasoned pros continue to improve day in and day out, they are world beaters. But if there has to be a single pick, what Divya Deshmukh has done on the 64 squares has been stand-out. Divya did not burst onto the scene overnight. She has been more than WIP – work in progress – as a budding player. Yet, at 20, the girl from Nagpur has emerged as the queen of chess.

To be sure, chess is a mass sport with increasing addition in number of players who are ready to play and learn fast. It’s Pan-India and there is no difficulty in accessing ‘literature’ online to practice and keep improving in chess. So, when Divya won the FIDE World Cup this year, she has shown how much more talent is there in India. She is also a Grandmaster as well. That she will compete even more fiercely in 2026 will be witnessed when she gets to play the FIDE  Women’s Candidates Chess competition with more senior players from India. It is belief, dedication and a sharp mind which saw Divya blossom.

Last but not the least comes the lady who has been a mainstay in Indian cricket for ages. Before you think one is talking of the girls in news – Jemimah Rodrigues and Smriti Mandhana –no, it is their captain, Harmanpreet Kaur. At 36, the Sardarni has left no stone unturned to achieve glory.

Look at her records, over the years, one can sense how much she has done for Indian cricket. The worst part, despite her efforts and trying to keep together an Indian team which could one day win a big title, she faced criticism. This writer will not flinch in admitting, Harmanpreet looked over the hill. Not only was her own batting a pale resemblance of what she could do in the past, her leadership skills came in for criticism.

A writer’s job is to watch and write the truth. If there has been a change in performance of athletes and they are doing well, there cannot be no bias or malice in writing. That is why, Harmanpreet showing the Lion Spirit this October/November in the ICC ODI World Cup stand heads and shoulders above all performances.

In cricket, it is easy to fall back on stats and say anything and everything about a player. Surely, if I am saying she is the best Indian Woman Athlete of 2025, it is with reason. To land a World Cup is a feat as big as climbing Mount Everest for the first time.

For long, there has been criticism alone for the Indian women cricketers. Sadly, a few journos, or should we say heartless hacks, indulged in pure vitriol against Harmanpreet. In the entire World Cup which climaxed at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, Harmanpreet Kaur became the toast of the nation. This was very much like the Kapil Dev moment of winning the 1983 World Cup (Prudential) or MS Dhoni winning the 2011 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium.

For Harmanpreet Kaur to hold together the team and set an example was important. There was a phase when the team was on a losing streak in the league phase, almost like a freefall. Perhaps, the way Harmanpreet and coach Amol Muzumdar scripted the comeback is the story of 2025.

Women’s cricket at home has come a long way. There are players who are as fit as the Alpha Males and fearless. It is in this direction, Harmanpreet led by example as India trounced South Africa for the World Cup. The girl from Moga, Punjab, who comes from a modest background, emerged queen. A bit on what she did as well.  The 89 in the semi-final was standout. To beat the Aussies is not easy. In several videos, Harmanpreet has talked of how the World Cup winning moment, still keeps playing put in her mind.

What generations of Indian cricketers could not do before in several decades, Harmanpreet has achieved as captain. You don’t need to flip a coin to decide Harmanpreet is indeed the queen of Indian sports in 2025.