Indian women’s cricket needs multi-skilled players, more pacers: Mithali

Women’s cricket in India has made big strides ever since its breakout second got here as being runners-up within the 2017 ODI World Cup in England. Since then, India received Asia Cup, grew to become runners-up of 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup, have been semi-finalists in 2018 and 2023 Women’s T20 World Cups and in addition bagged maiden U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Trophy earlier within the 12 months.

The query now arises is, what more needs to be performed to additional the event of women’s cricket within the nation? The inaugural version of Women’s Premier League (WPL) is ranging from March 4 and it guarantees to be one other watershed second in upping the expansion of women’s cricket within the nation.

In her column for the International Cricket Council (ICC), former India captain and legendary batter Mithali Raj pointed in direction of two issues which nations would wish to up their development in women’s cricket: — multi-dimensional gamers and more quick bowlers.

“All players understand the importance of having two- and three-dimensional players now. Players with only one side to their game are not as desired in today’s game. Only players with exceptional talent like Meg Lanning, Smriti Mandhana and a few others who are extraordinary batters can thrive or a Darcie Brown or Shabnim Ismail who can clock 120 plus. Everyone else has developed their skillset and added to their overall game.”

“For example, we’ve seen how England’s Sophie Ecclestone has developed her skills with the bat in the death overs, with her cameo against India proving decisive come the end. Grace Harris can contribute with the ball and take wickets for Australia, so I think establishing yourself as an all-rounder, or someone with multiple skills, is the way forward for women’s cricket,” she wrote.

In the Indian crew, there are multi-skilled gamers like captain Harmanpreet Kaur, opener Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, and Pooja Vastrakar amongst others. From the batch of U19 Women’s T20 World Cup profitable crew, there have been multi-skilled gamers like Gongadi Trisha, Sonam Yadav, Mannat Kashyap and Archana Devi.

With Vastrakar being a uncommon fast-bowling all-rounder in Indian women’s cricket set-up, somebody like Titas Sadhu or Hurley Gala may be groomed for that place together with Amanjot Kaur, who gave a wonderful impression of her abilities throughout the women’s T20I tri-series.

Then comes the fast-bowling division, which Mithali thinks may very well be a dominant drive in future. In the T20 World Cup, South Africa’s quick bowlers, comprising tearaway Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Nadine de Klerk and Marizanne Kapp, have taken 22 per cent of all of the wickets by tempo bowlers (23 out of 104 wickets) within the match.

In India, aside from Pooja, Renuka Thakur, Shikha Pandey and Anjali Sarvani have been current within the Women’s T20 World Cup squad, with Meghna Singh within the reserves. Overall, India’s pace-bowling assault took 12 wickets within the 2023 T20 World Cup.

“One of the themes of the tournament has been the rise of fast bowlers, who have really dominated and helped their teams to victory, which is not usually the case with the T20 format where you see batters scoring big fifties and hundreds,” added Mithali.

But for a much bigger pool of quick bowlers, National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru must get their methods in addition to planning proper. Also, they should get the women’s assist employees for a set interval, as a result of a rustic like India cannot afford to have a number of shuffles of teaching employees.

Less than two months earlier than the T20 World Cup started, head coach Ramesh Powar was moved to NCA and Hrishikesh Kanitkar was made the batting coach, with fast-bowling coach Troy Cooley given bowling coach duties too as India entered the competitors with out a head coach.

There is at the least a niche of three months earlier than India women’s crew subsequent worldwide project and get on highway to making ready for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, to be held in Bangladesh subsequent 12 months, adopted by the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup in India.

If they’re to shine and get their fingers on the coveted silverware, Indian suppose tank needs to take cues from what Mithali stated to make giant strides within the sport in coming years.

–IANS

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