Hemlata Kala Appointed Head Coach of Uttarakhand

Hemlata Kala Appointed Head Coach Of Uttarakhand Senior Women’s Cricket Team

Big news for Indian domestic cricket. Former India all-rounder Hemlata Kala appointed Head Coach of the Uttarakhand Senior Women’s Cricket Team for the 2026-27 season. The news was reported on 7 July 2026, with the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU) bringing in a coach with real international experience for the state team.

This move is a big deal for women’s cricket in Uttarakhand. The team has been building momentum in recent seasons, and a coach like Kala brings both credibility and know-how to the dressing room. It’s part of a wider trend too Indian cricket has seen several fresh coaching appointments this year, including Subhadeep Ghosh’s appointment as India’s fielding coach.

Who Is Hemlata Kala?

Hemlata Kala is a familiar name in Indian women’s cricket circles. Born on 15 August 1975 in Agra, she built a solid reputation as a dependable all-rounder during her playing days.

Here’s a quick look at her profile:

• Full Name: Hemlata Kala
• Role: All-rounder
• Batting Style: Right-handed batter
• Bowling Style: Right-arm medium pace
• International Career: 1999 to 2008
• Domestic Teams: Uttar Pradesh and Railways

She wasn’t just a player who showed up and did the basics. Kala was known for her consistency, calm temperament, and the kind of quiet leadership that keeps a team steady under pressure.

Hemlata Kala’s International Cricket Career

Kala represented India for close to a decade, and her numbers reflect a genuinely well-rounded career across formats.

International Stats at a Glance

• Test Matches: 7 (debut on 15 July 1999 vs England)
• One Day Internationals (ODIs): 78 (debut on 26 June 1999 vs Ireland)
• T20 Internationals: 1 (her only T20I came on 5 August 2006 vs England)

Her Test career ran from 1999 to 2006, while she continued playing ODIs until her final appearance against England in September 2008. Across nearly ten years on the international circuit, she featured in multiple tours, including trips to England, Ireland, and New Zealand.

Domestic Cricket Contribution

Before and alongside her India career, Kala played domestic cricket for Uttar Pradesh and later for Railways, two of the strongest women’s cricket setups in the country at the time. Her domestic performances were a big reason she kept earning national call-ups year after year.

Her Journey Into Coaching

Retirement from playing didn’t mean stepping away from the game. Hemlata Kala moved into coaching and administration, taking on roles where her cricketing knowledge could shape the next generation.

She has worked as:

• Chief of the Selection Committee for the Indian women’s team, a period during which talents like Shafali Verma were spotted and backed early.
• Head Coach of Uttar Pradesh’s senior women’s team, where she gained hands-on experience managing a full domestic squad.
• Assistant Coach with Delhi Capitals in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), giving her exposure to top-tier franchise cricket alongside her domestic coaching work.
• An applicant for the India women’s team head coach role in 2021, standing alongside other respected names like Nooshin Al Khadeer and Mamatha Maben.

This background makes her Uttarakhand appointment feel less like a fresh start and more like the natural next step in a coaching career that’s been building steadily.

What the Uttarakhand Head Coach Role Means

As Head Coach, Kala will take charge of the Uttarakhand Senior Women’s Team ahead of the 2026-27 domestic season. The Uttarakhand team has shown real promise in recent years, including runner-up finishes in both the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy and the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy during the 2023-24 season.

With Kala at the helm, the team gets:

• International-level insight into technique, match temperament, and preparation.
• Selection experience, useful for spotting and nurturing young domestic talent.
• A structured coaching approach, shaped by her earlier stint with Uttar Pradesh.

For a state team that has come close to silverware but hasn’t quite crossed the line, this kind of experienced guidance could be exactly what’s needed to go one step further.

A New Era for Uttarakhand’s Women’s Team

The  Hemlata Kala appointed Head Coach shows how much value former international players bring back to the domestic circuit once their playing days are over. Her experience as a player, selector, and coach gives Uttarakhand’s women’s team a strong foundation heading into the 2026-27 season. She joins a growing list of notable sportspersons connected to Uttarakhandwho continue to shape the state’s sporting future, including current India international Sneh Rana, who hails from Dehradun. It’ll be worth watching how the team performs under her guidance this year.