Bhopal: Indian Women’s National Cricket Team might not have won World Cup but they have definitely won India’s heart. They did manage to rivet the nation’s attention on women cricket players of the country. They got lots of adulation and tonnes of coverage, with the media publishing stories centred on lives, hobbies and what not.
However, for women cricket players down the line, things are not that easy.
25-year-old Deepika Shakya, senior Ranji player says, “I had to struggle a lot. I have three brothers and I am the youngest daughter in my family. Neither my parents nor my brothers want me to make a career in cricket. They used to tell me to study and get a government job. But their aversion disappeared when I started giving good results and my name began appearing in newspapers,” adding, “there are some practical problems too. For instance, at the divisional level we have to wear white clothes and this is sometimes problematic, especially during menstruation. Sometimes our relatives feel awkward when we practice with male players.”
On being asked about facilities for women players Shakya who has been playing cricket for 10 years said, “At the national level, the facilities available to women players are not even 10 per cent of their male counterparts. There is no any cricket academy for women in the state. There is no female trainer and proper place for practice for women in Bhopal. We have to do practice with male players,” adding, “we are playing for 10 years but neither I nor my friends have got any government job till now. I used to work in a private school as sports teacher but I left the job because I was not able to concentrate on the game. Some of my friends are doing jobs. We don’t get a monthly salary. We get Rs 25, 000 per match. But still, women players get less publicity than men.”
Similarly, 20-year-old Preety Yadav who has been playing cricket for seven years said, “Initially my parents were against my decision of making cricketing my career. They wanted that I should become a police officer. After three years’ struggle, I got a place in U-19 and started getting chance in playing camps,” adding “if we go on ground then we are players only. There is no gender discrimination there. But yes, being women, we have to face many problems which men don’t face.”
Yadav further said, “No doubt women are getting better facilities than earlier but still they get less exposure that men. Male players are being paid more than us. They get between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000 whereas we get Rs 25,000 for one match. Also more camps are organised for them than for us. If male players get chance to play in three or four camps, we get only one. Also, there is no women cricket academy in MP where we women can practice together. I think women players should also get equal facility like men.”
“I’m playing cricket for past one year and I want to be make a career in it. I am inspired by cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur and Mithali Raj. I want to be like them,” said Shraddha Kushwaha, 18 who is perusing bachelors in physical education from Rajiv Gandhi College. “I am also taking training from Mayank Chaturvedi Cricket Academy,” she said, adding, “since childhood I had interest in cricket, so I decided to do bachelor course in sports only. I used to play with my father and brother when I was a child. Now, I have played in division, district, and university levels. Yes, I think, still I don’t get as much exposure as male players but I hope it will be so in coming days.”
Tanishka Sen, 16, who studies in Class 9 in Delhi Public School, Kolar Road, says, “I didn’t miss a single match. I watched all matches of the World Cup. I am inspired by Jhulan Goswami, Sushma Verma and Mithali Raj and I want to be like them,” adding, “Indian team played well but they lost the Cup due to lack of confidence. They should have played with patience. I have been playing cricket in district, state and national-level camp.”
“Harmanpreet kaur is my favourite player and I want to be like her. She plays very well. She is lady AB de Villiers. I didn’t miss any match especially of India, England and Australia. Indian team played very well,” said Marzia Khan, 16, a Class 12 of Carmel Convent School adding, “I love to play cricket and want to make a career in it. Till now, I have participated in school, district and division level tournaments.”
‘Doing as much as we can’
“Our academy is doing as much as we can. We gave five women players who are representing MP. The condition of cricket players both men and women is very poor because there is no cricket association in the city. The association is non-functional for four years due to membership disputes. The case is in court now. There is no camp and tournament held for five years and due to this the players have to suffer a lot. There is MP Cricket Association (MPCA) in Indore and most of the activities are being organised and conducted in the state from there.
Jyoti Prakash Tyagi, director, Ankur Cricket Academy
