"Today people are analysing women's cricket and have their favourite women cricketers. It's a change and a very good one."
Thursday 26 April 2018 14:14, UK
India captain Mithali Raj is pleased with the growth of women's cricket in her homeland, following her side's run to the World Cup final – but tells Kalika Mehta that it is too early for a female IPL…
For a country as obsessed with cricket as India, it is a wonder why it has taken the nation so long to appreciate their women's team.
Yet, in the months since India's Women came within touching distance of lifting their maiden World Cup trophy, times are beginning to change.
Mithali Raj, India Women's stalwart captain, who was crowned Wisden's Leading Women's Cricketer of the Year in April, remains at the forefront of shifting attitudes and minds.
"For a long period I had to really talk about women's cricket," she explained.
"There have been so many justifications that we have had to make about playing and clarifications about the rules used to play women's cricket - like if we use a tennis ball or a cricket ball.
"These things, the ignorance from people, was because they couldn't see us live on TV and a lot was only spoken about men's cricket. Today the same people are analysing women's cricket, people have their favourite women cricketers.
"It's a change and a very good one because I don't believe sport should be gender biased. Everybody should be given the opportunity to be successful and excel, irrespective of their gender."
The World Cup proved to be a seminal time in India. Patriotic fans watched from near and far as their side beat hosts England in a nail-biting opening match, before Harmanpreet Kaur hit a sensational unbeaten 171 against holders Australia in the semi-final.
Though they ultimately fell short of lifting the title, they received a heroes welcome from adoring fans in Mumbai when they returned home.
Unable to ignore the team's performances and the support around the players, the BCCI formed a women's committee with former and current players providing input to improve and expand women's cricket.
Although India had to wait just under seven months before they played their next competitive international match, Raj believes the BBCI is serious about their commitment to the women's team and the new broadcast deal - which ensures every home game will be televised - proves that, as does a new focus on getting girls involved in the game in their tender years.
"Unlike in England where there is a culture of sport in school for girls, we are still struggling at that level because in India the set-up is very different," Raj explained.
"After the World Cup there were a lot of girls who were showing interest in cricket, so there is a platform. The BCCI is trying to build a set-up so that more young girls at a younger age are able to take up the sport.
"It makes no sense giving the time when they are 24 or 25 because at that age they are only going to play for another four or five years.
"If things are promoted and marketed like they were during the recent tour against England in March, then I am sure that where we are struggling to get girls from school age, after a certain period of time the school will take an interest and create a girls team."
For the women's team, though, it is not just about getting the BCCI on board and committed to bring about change, it is equally about showing there is a true career path in women's cricket now.
Cricket was not Raj's first love, or even her second or third - she was a passionate dancer as a young girl, but after being tasked to train under Sampath Kumar at her father's behest, she was forced to choose between the two disciplines.
Her parents were invested in seeing their daughter become one of the greatest female cricketers in India and it allowed for little else growing up.
At 17, she was picked for the one-day international side and at 19 she scored a double-century in a Test against England. It took until the age of just 22 for Raj to be named captain of the national side and in her first tournament leading India she took them to the World Cup final, though they came up short again, this time against New Zealand.
Raj remains at the top of her game 13 years on - recently overtaking former England captain Charlotte Edwards as the most capped ODI player and becoming the first female player to post a 50th half-century.
For the gifted Rajasthan-born batter, she understands better than most the significance of remuneration as a way of having parents allow their daughters to play spot for a job.
"These days nobody wants to pursue sport just as a hobby," Raj said. "Everybody wants to look at it as a professional career because they are investing so much time, sacrificing a lot. They want something in return when they're investing five years.
"In India cricket is a sport that a lot people from rural areas, people from the interiors of India who are not financially sound, play.
"The BCCI, after our performances at the World Cup, have now increased our contracts to another level. The best phase that women's cricket has seen in the last year needs to be continued because there will come a point where the pay is equal.
"We have a lot talent but the people are not supported well or given the proper channels to play. When they play at a decent level like state, and you're being paid for every match and you're being looked after by the association, it helps.
"There are a lot of benefits now there is money coming in and the girls can see it as a profession."
Raj admitted straight after the World Cup final that she had expressed a wish for a women's Indian Premier League - but she now believes the domestic set-up in the country needs to be improved before that happens.
"I see the potential [in a women's IPL]. When I was asked immediately after the World Cup I thought that would be the right time but to have that kind of set-up in such a short period was always going to be difficult.
"Now, having seen India A perform, I realise we don't have the bench that we require and I'm not sure it is the right time because we are still struggling with our second string.
"When you play in a competition it should go towards helping the sport, not have it backfire. If you do it too quickly and the response is not very good, it might come back at you.
"There would be a very stark difference between the foreign players and the domestic players [right now] and that can work against the growth of the sport.
"Perhaps in another year or two it will be the right time, once we have our domestic set-up, a bigger pool of players, we'll be ready to play in a Women's Premier League in India."
