Smriti Mandhana Reveals She Once Got Her Period While Batting; Here's What the Umpire Told Her (Watch Video)
Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, 29, bravely shared her experience of getting her period mid-Test, leading to a 10-minute halt. Her revelation sparks vital debate on menstrual health in women's cricket, exposing ambiguous ICC rules regarding player absences. This incident, exacerbated by traditional white attire, underscores the need for clearer.
In a candid Instagram video that has resonated widely across the cricketing world, Indian women's team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, who is currently playing in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, revealed a deeply personal and often unspoken challenge faced by female athletes: experiencing menstruation in the middle of a Test match. Her revelation has not only shone a spotlight on the physical and mental resilience required but also sparked a vital discussion about the need for clearer rules surrounding menstrual health in professional sports. Fact Check: Did Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Say ‘Hit Jasprit Bumrah for First Ball Six to Impress Crush Smriti Mandhana’.
Mandhana recounted the incident where she was batting for India when her period unexpectedly began. The discomfort, coupled with the traditional all-white attire in Test cricket, left her with no option but to approach the umpire with an unusual request– to leave the field and change.
"My periods started in the middle of a Test match. I was batting out there and had to rush back to change," Mandhana stated in the video. "I remember telling the umpire, it was probably the most random thing I've ever done on a cricket field. I told the umpire, 'My periods have started and I need to rush back.'"
The match was reportedly halted for approximately 10 minutes as Mandhana attended to the situation. "The umpire didn't have a choice because I was also wearing white, and she understood," she recalled. Smriti Mandhana Gets Her Own Barbie Doll, Joins 'Barbie Dream Team'.
Video: Smriti Mandhana Reveals She Once Got Her Period While Batting
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Cricket's Rulebook: A Gray Area
The incident has brought to the forefront the ambiguity in cricket's current laws regarding menstrual health. While the MCC Laws of Cricket and ICC playing conditions (Law 24) allow a player to leave the field if umpires are satisfied that they are injured, ill, or have "another wholly acceptable reason to leave," menstruation is not explicitly addressed.
- Fielder Substitutes: A substitute fielder is permitted for an absent player but cannot bat, bowl, keep wicket, or captain the side.
- Bowling Penalties: If a bowler is off the field for more than eight minutes, they must wait an equivalent period before bowling upon their return.
- Batting Absences: A batter who voluntarily leaves the crease is considered "retired out" and can only return with the opposing captain's consent.
While umpires do have discretion, the lack of specific guidelines for menstruation leaves room for uncertainty and can place an undue burden on female athletes to manage such situations on the field. The current framework offers no equivalent provision to the concussion substitute, which was introduced in 2019, specifically for menstrual health issues.
Normalising the Conversation
Mandhana's courage in speaking out is a significant step towards normalising conversations around female physiology in professional sports. Her actions send a powerful message, especially in a country where nearly 75% of young girls reportedly drop out of sports due to factors like periods, menstrual discomfort, lack of hygiene products, and social stigma.
Her experience underscores the broader need for sports organisations to acknowledge and accommodate the unique physiological realities of female athletes. As Mandhana herself put it, "When you put on the jersey, you have to do justice to the role that has been given to you. Sometimes, your own period pain doesn't come in between."
This candid account by one of the world's leading batters is a powerful catalyst for change, urging cricket's governing bodies to review and update rules to better support women cricketers, ensuring that a natural biological process does not become an unintended barrier to participation or performance. It tells aspiring young female athletes that these challenges are real, manageable, and deserve open discussion and systemic support.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 16, 2026 12:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
