Wellington Blaze bowler Xara Jetly has a bigger fan base in India than she does in New Zealand but that's starting to change as she makes waves on the domestic scene.
Wellington Blaze player Xara Jetly eyes up the ball. Photo: Dave Lintott Photography
Jetly bowled the most economical figures in the history of the women's domestic league two weekends ago when she took four wickets for one run in three overs to dismiss the Northern Brave for just 46 runs.
Jetly's team-mates Jess Kerr and Leigh Kasperek have the most wickets this season, with 17, but Jetly isn't far behind with 13 and an economy rate of 4.78, from her right arm off-spin.
Her performances this summer have delighted her social media followers in India, after a photo she posted went viral in the cricket-mad nation.
The Blaze will meet the Otago Sparks in the Super Smash T20 final in Hamilton tomorrow, having not dropped a game all season.
The 20-year-old has also been a ball of energy in the field for the Blaze, with six catches in the competition.
It was actually her fielding that saw her first break into the Blaze as a 16-year-old. She came into the Blaze as a specialist fielder and set about to become one of the best domestic female fielders in New Zealand.
Jetly has over 19,000 followers on Instagram. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"It was very unusual being brought in as a specialist fielder, I didn't actually think it was a role that existed but I think it really does I guess showcase the fact that the Blaze really values fielding as a key skill-set in the squad," Jetly said.
"It was very daunting as a 16-year-old so I felt like there was a lot of pressure but definitely was happy to be accepted and be able to train and I was able to bowl a few overs as well."
Aside from having a safe pair of hands, what is it about Jetly that makes her strong in the fielding department?
"I would say I'm pretty quick. I also just really enjoy fielding so I literally go there hoping with the intention that I'm always going to catch a ball or always going to run.
"I really really enjoy running, it's something that I do in my spare time and a lot of speed work, which is around my fielding too."
Jetly comes from a sport orientated family and was more of a netballer and footballer when she was younger.
In the crease, Wellington Blaze player Xara Jetly. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021 www.photosport.nz
She has two younger brothers and a younger sister and started playing a bit of cricket with her brother's team when she was 11.
Then she started playing indoor cricket and was 13 when she was spotted by Robbie Kerr, the father of her Blaze team-mates Amelia and Jess Kerr.
He saw her potential and put her into the Under 15s Wellington outdoor team. From then on she trained, trained, and trained some more, and that's where she found her love for the game.
Jetly's bowling is just as strong as her fielding these days and she's used mostly in the middle overs for the Blaze.
She came into a star-studded team. She's surrounded by seven White Ferns, including three top class bowlers in the Kerr sisters and Kasperek.
The Victoria University student said adding more variation of pace had improved her bowling in the last couple of years.
She also developed a distinctive little hop in her run-up last year after her coach suggested she add some momentum into her run-up.
"I thought why not ...but it does nothing, it's just a dance move. It's like a routine now, I have to do it," she laughs.
She works hard on her batting too and her goal is to become an allrounder one day.
Jetly is part of a band of young up and coming players in the Blaze.
They call themselves the embers - Georgia Plimmer, Tash Codyre, Kate Chandler and Jetly.
At just 20 Jetly knows she's in an exciting phase of her career .
"I did have a little fear coming into this season of not even being able to make the 11.
"But to be making it in an amazing environment and be surrounded by amazing people it's only going to hopefully increase my skills and hopefully be able to make the White Ferns in the future."
Going viral on the subcontinent
Jetly has over 19,000 followers on Instagram and the majority of those came after she posted a photo in December that went viral in India.
It didn't particularly stand out as being that different from other photos she's posted but for some reason it struck a chord.
"It was a photo of me pointing at the camera with a very excited expression.
"I guess all of India love their cricket and I was in my cricket gear representing the Blaze, obviously being top of the table and also my last name is Jetly.
"I am half Indian as well, which could also be potentially the reason why I've had a very high following."
Jetly's father was born in New Delhi and it's her dream to travel to India, once Covid restrictions eventually disappear.
"I looked back an hour later and I'd already had 20,000 likes and I thought 'this isn't right' and I checked my following and within a week I'd managed to gain about 15,000 followers.
"And that only got me a little bit excited because this is a dream of mine so yeah it's really cool."
Xara Jetly appeals successfully for a wicket v Northern Brave, Cobham Oval, Whangarei, 16 January 2022. Photo: © Copyright Andrew Cornaga 2022 / www.photosport.nz / Photosport Ltd
In her teens Jetly decided she wanted to be a social media influencer one day. Once she got into the Blaze she started posting things about the team and then started doing some photo shoots for fun.
Her posts attract a lot of comments from cricket fans in India but no doubt she'll gain more of a following in New Zealand with performances like the one she produced two weeks ago.
"I'm hopeful that my social media will be almost an insightful way for the audience to be able to see me as I guess a cricketer and just a normal human being.
"The fact that I am studying and working as well, just trying to be as relatable as I can and hopefully follow that on with good performances in the Blaze too."
Jetly at the Super Smash match at Cobham Oval, Whangarei, 16 January 2022. Photo: © Copyright Andrew Cornaga 2022 / www.photosport.nz / Photosport Ltd
What comes across is that Jetly tries not to take herself too seriously.
"It's really important that we aren't too serious because life isn't always serious.
"I mean we have to make some really hard decisions sometimes but the most important thing is that we are able as humans to let go and have a little bit of fun.
"We're going to make mistakes and I guess the best thing we can do is just laugh it off and move on."
Jetly hopes through her social media and when she's talking in interviews, she'll be able to show people a little bit of her personality.
"And hopefully they can just think actually no the game isn't that serious, life isn't that serious, let's just have a laugh."
Jetly has also shared posts about past mental health battles with anxiety and depression and believes it's important to not hold stuff in.
"Especially when I was around 13 and 14 I kept all my bad emotions to myself and I really do encourage people to be able to talk to others.
"Really find one or two loyal friends and be able to communicate as much as possible and I think that is the best medicine and don't be afraid to show who you are either."
Last year the Blaze, who were three-time defending champions, were stunned by the Canterbury Magicians in the final.
Jetly said it was an important lesson.
"We constantly look back on that and we think what was good and what was bad from that.
"I think what we have brought this season has been fantastic and hopefully we can really continue with that momentum and be able to bring it into the grand final and take it home."