New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS) Sudha Shah was part of the Indian side that played the country’s first women’s Test match against the West Indies in Bangalore on October 31, 1976. On its 50th anniversary, which was also India’s first international cricket game, Sudha recalled the crowd followed the team later in the series, especially in Patna, as it made the players feel ‘like we were superstars.’
“In Patna, the thing I remember most about the Test we won is the crowd. Every day, there was a crowd of nearly 20,000 to 30,000. After we won, they lined up on either side of the road, and when our bus went to where we were staying, it was like we were superstars. We had never even dreamt of experiencing something like that,” Sudha was quoted as saying by bcci.tv on Saturday.
The celebrations in the dressing room got a little out of hand, added Sudha. “We had to wave to the crowd from the balcony because they just weren’t leaving. All of us were screaming and jumping around, and Sharmila Chakraborty broke the basin in the dressing room bathroom! We just couldn’t believe that we had won a Test match.”
That series was the start of a 15-year international career for Sudha, who played 21 official Tests, scoring 601 runs and taking five wickets, and 13 ODIs. Her 21 consecutive Test appearances are the second-most in women’s cricket.
“In those days, when we played, we just played. Nobody thought of records or breaking records. We played a lot of games that were later classified as unofficial. Out of 35, only 21 are official. But believe me, we took it in our stride,” she added.
Finding grounds and money was a constant struggle for Sudha’s generation. “It gives a lot of satisfaction that we did pursue cricket at that time despite all the difficulties we faced, be it on the field or off the field.
“We did toil, and to see the game where it is today gives you the satisfaction that what we did at that time hasn’t gone in vain. Cricket has got to a point today where we are right on top of the world, and that really gives such a lot of satisfaction.”
She credited the BCCI, who took over the women’s game in 2006 and has since introduced equal match fees, for turning cricket into a real career for women. “At that time, we faced a lot of difficulties with finances and getting grounds, but we took it in our stride.
“If you had told me 50 years ago that girls would be making cricket a career, I wouldn’t have believed it. At that time, we played purely for the love of the game. I never imagined that they would be getting paid and that the game would come this far. So, credit goes to the BCCI.
The board gave Shah its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. “It is a great honour. To be acknowledged for the years we put in validates the fact that our early efforts laid a strong foundation for the game,” she said.
As the head coach, Shah took India to their first World Cup final in 2005, a big achievement given how little the team had to work with. “In 2003, we started working towards the World Cup in 2005. When we won the semi-final, we celebrated as if we had won the World Cup. It was a great achievement, considering the facilities the girls have today and what we had at that time.”
India lost that final and the wait for the trophy ended on November 2 last year, and Sudha nearly missed it. She voted in her local cricket association’s elections, rushed to the airport for a late-afternoon flight and made it into the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai only because rain had delayed the start.
“When I entered DY Patil through the gate, I could hear the national anthem being played, and I said, ‘Today’s my day’. When we won, I had tears in my eyes, and I rushed to the ground. I said, ‘No, I’m not sitting in the stands.’ We went onto the ground, and Harman (Harmanpreet Kaur) came and gave me the trophy.”
Harmanpreet had made her India debut when Sudha was the head coach. “When she (Harmanpreet) gave me that trophy, I thought, ‘Boy, I never ever dreamt that I would hold it.’ But it felt so good. The only regret I had was that I was so excited that I didn’t have the presence of mind to get a photograph taken!”
She was also delighted by India’s Test win over England at Lord’s this year. “We were very happy. It was so good. We have been playing very few Tests, but we have been managing to win those Test matches, and that is very commendable.
“I think Test cricket really tests the character of a cricketer. We lived on Test cricket. The present generation thrives on T20 and 50-over cricket, but when it comes to Test cricket, we have been playing well, and that really augurs well for women’s cricket. I think the girls should be playing more Test matches.”
Sudha further stated the Women’s Premier League (WPL) had raised standards in the domestic game. “Thanks to the WPL, our domestic players have gained good exposure. Sharing the dressing room with foreign players, rubbing shoulders with them and observing their routines closely has made a great difference. Today, the youngsters are playing much more fearless cricket, and their confidence has grown.”
With India set to host the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy in 2027, Sudha signed off by saying televised home tournaments were bringing far more girls into the game. “Today, with all these tournaments being televised, even if young girls are not able to get to the grounds, they are watching, and that itself makes a big difference.
“Having these ICC tournaments held here increases the interest, and a lot more girls are coming forward to play. I can see the difference from 15 or 20 years back when it was more of an elimination than a proper selection for our state sides. Now, there are thousands of girls coming to play, and that is a massive boost.”
“To see cricket grow and reach where it is today gives us a feeling of pride. We are sort of living through them now, sharing in their victories and the matches they are playing and winning. It feels like we are a part of it, and we are really happy.
--IANS
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