India, June 10 -- The bandana holding up her mop of curly hair may not have personal branding yet, but nevertheless acts as a style statement. In her growing-up years, Shree Charani's father would be questioned about her short hair, her playing sport - regressive stereotypes common in Indian village life.

Now, with the 21-year-old a squad regular with the Indian women's cricket team and approaching her second ICC world event, the same people who derided her cricket have turned cheerleaders.

Charani is the first women cricketer from Andhra Pradesh's Yerramala Palle village, in the southern Kadappa region, to play for her state, let alone India. "Most of our state's women cricketers come from cities. Charani has been a trailblazer for her...