The bespectacled teenager gave up science in school, and a probable career in hospitality, and has no regrets whatsoever. After all, she is only the second Indian cricketer to feature in a foreign T20 league, has a World Cup century against her name, another one in Australia, a double ton in domestic one-day competition. All at the age of 20!
As a nine-year-old, Mandhana signed up for cricket trials for fun. She'd accompanied her older brother for enough of those sessions to pick up left-handed batting even though she is otherwise right-handed. At just 11, she was fast-tracked to the Maharashtra Uunder-19 side and four years later, to the senior team. The youngster announced herself at the domestic stage with a stunning 155 on debut against Saurashtra.
Mandhana made a 50 on Test debut, playing a crucial hand in India's historic Test win in England in 2014. She didn't do justice to her talent in two successive editions of the World T20, and in the debut WBBL stint, but lit up the 2017 World Cup with two scintillating knocks after spending over five months out of action due to an ACL tear.
