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Asha Shobana Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 28, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth16/03/1991

Age32 Years (as of 2023)

BirthplaceThiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

ProfessionCricketer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseAshwin Vijay

FamilyFather: B. Joy; Mother: S. Sobhana; Brother: Anoop Joy

Asha Shobana Biography

Asha Shobana Joy is an Indian all-rounder from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. A right-handed batter and legbreak googly bowler, she has represented multiple国内

Early life and background

Asha Shobana Joy was born on 16 March 1991 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. She grew up in the city where she attended Cotton Hill Girls Higher Secondary School and St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School before earning a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram. Asha comes from a family with modest means; her father, B. Joy, worked as a driver and her mother is S. Sobhana. She has a brother, Anoop Joy, who is a senior administrative coordinator.

Asha developed an early interest in cricket, often playing informal games with family and friends. At about 12-and-a-half years old she tried out for the Thiruvananthapuram district women’s cricket team and was selected, launching a pathway that would lead her into state and national-level squads. During those formative years she attracted the attention of former Kerala captain Shabina Jacob, who became an important mentor.

Career

Asha is an all-rounder who bats right-handed and bowls legbreak googly. She made her debut for the Kerala women’s team in 2005 and was a regular member for around a decade. At 16 she debuted for the South Zone side, and in 2008 she was selected for the India Women’s under-19 camp. By 2010 she was playing in senior domestic tournaments, including the Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy.

Across domestic competitions she has represented a wide range of teams: Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, South Zone, India B, India A, the Indian Board President’s Women XI, South Central Railway women’s team, Railways, Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Women’s team (Sri Lanka), and Puducherry. She has also worked for the South Central Railway in Hyderabad as part of her employment with Indian Railways.

Asha has recorded several notable domestic performances. Between 2011 and 2012 she scored two fifties and claimed ten wickets for Kerala. In 2011 she was the leading wicket-taker in an inter-zone tournament in Ahmedabad with 12 wickets from four matches. She recorded four-wicket hauls in the Women’s Senior T20 Trophy against Himachal Pradesh in 2019 and against Goa in 2020. In 2018 she was named Player of the Tournament for her displays with Chilaw Marians in Sri Lanka’s Division One competition.

At the national level she has appeared in representative squads and matches. In March 2012 she played for the Indian Board President’s Women XI against Australia, taking the wicket of Meg Lanning. She was included among 20 probables for an India tour of the West Indies in January 2012 and was part of India A squads on multiple occasions, including the 2017–18 Senior Women’s Challenger Trophy which India A won; she took three wickets in the final.

In 2023 Asha was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for the inaugural Women’s Premier League season, becoming the first player from Kerala to feature in that edition. She wore jersey number 7 for the tournament and bowled two overs in her WPL appearance.

Public profile

Asha’s cricketing pathway involved coaching and mentorship from several coaches, including Shabina Jacob, Aaron George Thomas, Nooshin Al Khadeer and Ben Sawyer. She trained at various centres, including a spell at the MAC spin foundation in Chennai where she worked with coaches linked to Terry Jenner. Her mentors and coaches have highlighted her potential and competitive temperament.

Off the field Asha maintains a public presence on social media, where she shares photos of her hobbies such as singing and drawing, and pictures of her pet Golden Retriever, Dexter. She has also spoken publicly about her background and the financial challenges her family faced while supporting her cricket ambitions. Personal preferences noted in interviews include a love of Arsenal football club and a desire to see them play at Emirates Stadium.

Personal life

Asha is married to Ashwin Vijay; the couple married on 2 January 2017. She follows Christianity and is a non-vegetarian. She has at least one tattoo on her left upper arm. Asha’s favourite cricketers include Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and MS Dhoni among batters, and Anil Kumble, Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill among bowlers. Among women players she admires Mithali Raj and Neetu David.

Latest updates

In October 2020 Asha launched a cricket brand called AV Sports. She continued to contribute to winning domestic sides: she was part of the Railways squad that won the Women’s Senior One-Day Trophy in 2020–21 and the Women’s Senior T20 Trophy in 2021–22. In 2022 she represented Puducherry, and in 2023 she joined Royal Challengers Bangalore for the WPL season, marking a milestone as the first Kerala player in that inaugural event.
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Recent Work

Royal Challengers Bangalore – Women’s Premier League (WPL)

Purchased by Royal Challengers Bangalore for the inaugural 2023 WPL season; became the first player from Kerala to feature in the tournament.

2023
AV Sports

Launched her own cricket brand, AV Sports.

2020
India A / Challenger Trophy

Part of India A and the Smriti Mandhana-led India A side that won the 2017–18 Senior Women’s Challenger Trophy.

2018
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Career Highlights

  1. Debuted for Kerala women’s team in 2005 and remained a regular for around ten years
  2. Leading wicket-taker in the 2011 inter-zone women’s tournament (12 wickets in four matches)
  3. Player of the Tournament for Chilaw Marians in Sri Lanka’s Division One competition (2018)
  4. Part of Railways squads that won the 2020–21 Women’s Senior One-Day Trophy and the 2021–22 Women’s Senior T20 Trophy
  5. First player from Kerala to feature in the inaugural Women’s Premier League (2023)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Asha Shobana born?

16/03/1991

What is Asha Shobana known for?

Cricketer

What is Asha Shobana’s marital status?

Married

Who is Asha Shobana married to?

Ashwin Vijay