For long, the Indian women’s cricket team have been living in the shadows of the more-fancied men’s team, all the while, silently outperforming their opponents, achieving good results and coming out on top on more than one occasion. The only difference between the men’s and the women's team is simply the attention or the lack of it, that the women cricketers face.
In a country hugely obsessed with cricket, it comes as a big surprise that not many are aware of the names of the cricketers in the women’s team. With India hosting the 2016 edition of World Twenty20, both the men’s and women’s matches will be played simultaneously. But there hasn’t been much publicity surrounding the ladies tournament, the only bright spot was when they got to pose alongside their popular male counterparts, during the official unveiling of the team India jersey.
It was also a realisation for a few, that there was a women’s tournament along with the ‘main’ tournament. Such is the sorry state of women’s cricket in the country. But the players themselves seem to not bother about such distractions and enter the mega-tournament with hardly any spotlight on them, in stark contrast to the men’s team.
In January this year, right about the same time when the Indian men were on a high after beating Australia, the women's team created history by beating Australia in a three-match T20 series 2-1 in their own backyard. The series win was described by many as a milestone moment in Indian women’s cricket. Prior to that particular series, the Indian eves had beaten Australia just once in T20, dating back four years.
What made the win so significant?
The fact that the Australian women's team are three-time defending champions of the ICC Women's World Twenty20. So despite Indian eves being considered as home favourites, the Australian women are well and truly the more favourable side to lift the trophy for a record fourth consecutive time, something which even the men's team has failed to pull off even once.
The reason behind Australia's dominance is the equal support they earn back home, where they are treated on par with the men's team and the recognition they receive from their cricket board. The BCCI has quite a lot to learn from Cricket Australia, who constantly encourage the women cricketers and make them look like celebrities in their country. It comes as no surprise then, that there is the separate Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), which is played to almost packed stadiums.
Even more surprisingly, the talented women cricketers from India were not given clearance by the BCCI to participate in such leagues, as they felt it hindered their focus towards international cricket.
The stories of miseries don't end here
The women cricketers were offered central contracts by the BCCI last year, by means of which A-grade cricketers like Jhulan Goswami, Mithali Raj, Thirush Kamini and Harmanpreet Kaur were entitled to receive 15 lakh per year, which of course was no match to the humongous amount the same graded men players earned-1 crore a year.
Effectively, the contract of the A-grade women cricketers is even far less than what the C-grade members of the men's team earn (25 lakh). Another factor which distinguishes between the two sexes is the endorsements. While almost all the men cricketers are involved with some brand or the other, there is no such luck for the women.
The BCCI has a major task at hand to popularise women's cricket in the country and needs to revamp the entire structure surrounding women's cricket. As far as the fans are concerned, they have to change their mindset about the whole 'bias' issue surrounding the cricketers and come out in big numbers to support the Indian eves during the World T20, just like they do for the men.
As for the players, the lack of spotlight in a way would be a blessing in disguise for them to fight their way to achieving greatness at the topmost level.
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