The vice-captain of the Indian team, Smriti Mandhana is one of the most talented players in the game today. Since her debut in 2013, she has been growing from strength to strength and is now an important cog in the Indian side. She is a remarkable batter and has amassed over 6000 runs in 211 international matches. The 27-year-old also has many impressive records to her name and is one of the best Indian players to have graced the cricket field.
Smriti Mandhana recently appeared on the reality show where she spoke about her cricketing journey. She mentioned how her father hoped to see his children play cricket and one day represent India. “I have heard about cricket from my childhood, maybe since when I was in my mother’s womb,” she said.
Smriti also spoke about how watching her brother play cricket inspired her to pick up the bat, “I started playing cricket looking at my brother.” Watching her brother play U16 tournaments, she too started playing and was soon a regular in her state’s U15 and U19 sides.
During the show, Mandhana also spoke about Jhulan Goswami. “Goswami is a legend of the game and her contribution to Women’s cricket reaching its current position is invaluable. She is one of the best athletes that India has produced and holds the record for the most ODI wickets. Since retiring from the game, she has been mentoring young fast bowlers in the Indian setup,” said Smriti Mandhana.
Praising her bowling, host Amitabh Bachchan said, “She makes the blood of a lot of people run cold. The way she bowls is frightening. I get scared watching her on TV. The way she bowls, I fear she might break someone’s head!”
Women’s cricket has undergone a rapid and much-needed development in recent years. There are more crowds in the stadium, more investment in the game, and a lot more interest amongst the public. This interest has also sparked the desire in young girls to take up the sport which is great for the future of the game.