From the diary of a cricketer

One look at S. Krishnamurthy Sravanthi Raj Naidu and you wouldn’t guess she is one of Hyderabad’s leading all-rounders and has represented the Indian women’s team in two World Cups. Her self-effacing and humble manner means she flies under the radar more often than not. Like many before her, Sravanthi started off playing ‘gully cricket’ with the boys. “I used to enjoy playing gully cricket. I would try to copy Rahul Dravid’s technique even then. When I found out about women’s cricket coaching in Keyes High School, I joined the camp there,” says Sravanthi, who represented India in the ICC Women’s World T20 held in Bangladesh earlier this year. “It was an absolutely wonderful experience”, says the left-arm spinner from Hyderabad. “It was my first time playing in a T20 World Cup and I really enjoyed it. I had never played under lights before so that took some getting used to. It was very different,” admits Sravanthi. In Sylhet, where India played all of its league matches, t...

It still hasn't sunk in that Kumar Sangakkara is retiring. Well, it didn't until I saw this picture of him waving to the Galle crowd. The photo was edited with Sangakkara in focus, while the rest of the team were blurred out in black and white. Behind him, Percy was waving the Sri Lankan flag (also in colour). Sanga's expression was one of content-- as if he was a man relieved of all responsibilities and happy with his decision to retire.  When I saw the picture, all I could think was, "And then there was one!" I started watching/ religiously following the game of cricket, from the 1999 World Cup in England-- just before Sangakkara debuted for Sri Lanka. Apart from Younis Khan of Pakistan, all the players whom I grew up watching and idolizing, have all retired. It seems strange-- cricket is certainly not the same any more without them. I don't feel motivated enough to get up at 4 AM to watch the first ball of a Test match in Christchurch... I...

Part 3 of the feature for Wisden India. The difference between men's and women's domestic cricket-- where the girls are lagging behind and how we can catch up. Comparisons “If you see a couple who has a son and daughter, invariably the son will get a cricket bat as a gift and the daughter will get a doll,” points out Sudha Shah, former coach of the Indian women’s cricket team. Shah’s quip points to a significant problem in Indian women’s cricket: most people, both viewers and administrators, have not fully warmed up to the idea that women play cricket, and play it well. Think men’s cricket and images pour into your mind – Sachin Tendulkar stroking a straight drive past Brett Lee, or Virat Kohli nonchalantly flicking Lasith Malinga off his pads. Think women’s cricket and the slate must be close to blank. This despite the Indian team having two of the world’s best players in their ranks – Mithali Raj, the India Women captain, recently having crossed 5000 One-Day Inter...

Here's part 2 of the feature I wrote for Wisden India. Stalwarts like Mamtha Maben, Sudha Shah and Jhulan Goswami talk about ways they think women's cricket in the country can improve. Recommendations Not bad, some would say. Not nearly enough, say the others. The news that the BCCI has introduced an Under-23 tournament for women has been received with some excitement, but it’s tinged with disappointment. After all, they had said they would introduce both U-23 and U-16 tournaments and have delivered on only one. But one tournament has been approved. Shouldn’t we be happy? The answer is more complex than a simple yes or no. Sudha Shah, former coach of the Indian team, puts it simply: “A girl’s span in cricket is much shorter than the men. So, logically, if they start off in school, they get to play longer. We need to find a way to get girls to start playing at least by the time they are 12 or 13 years old — an U-16 tournament is perfect for that.” Most stalwarts ...

This is Part 1 of a 3 part feature that I wrote for Wisden India on women's cricket in India. Part 1 : Evolution With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently adding an Under-23 tournament for women in the domestic calendar, there is much excitement among players, both former and current. “This will give the girls more of an opportunity to play,” says Sudha Shah, a veteran of 21 Tests and coach of the India Women team that beat England in a Test match at Wormsley last year. “It means that the jump from Under-19 to the senior level is not so drastic — we won’t lose too many players along the way.” Of course, things weren’t always this structured with women’s cricket in India. When the women’s game took off in the country, in 1973-74, players like Shah, barely 15 years old, played only one open state tournament every year and there were certainly no age-group tournaments. Despite this, the very next year, India began playing international cricket. The U...