KOCHI: “Women’s cricket, what you see now, has been hard-earned by women who fought to get here. I can now say ‘eleven is level’; there are no disparities,” says R S Saranya, cricket coach with the Kerala State Sports Council.
Starting young, the all-rounder from Sreekaryam switched to cricket from athletics and earned a spot in the state’s senior cricket team in her very first attempt in 2005. Two years later, she became captain. After nine years, she joined the Karnataka team where she played for five years.
“Even now, my colleagues talk about the rare privileges I got – I was the opening batsman as well as the opening pacer. It was an honour given that the Karnataka team had at least six national-level players,” Saranya recalls.
“I started coaching even while I was playing. By 2008, I became a BCCI-qualified coach.” Saranya is also the first Malayali woman coach to be certified by the National Cricket Academy. She has served as coach in Assam and Meghalaya cricket associations.
“Cricket was not that predominant there. At times, I had to teach players basics. But I consider my stint in Meghalaya my greatest achievement as I could build a team having good exposure and potential,” she says.
Ajima Sangma, the first woman cricketer from Meghalaya to represent the country, was Saranya’s student. She also handled fast bowling coaching in Rajkot Division ahead of the 2023 Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup. Seven players from the camp entered the national team, which went on to lift the World Cup. Titas Sadhu, the player of the match, was Saranya’s trainee, too.
“My trainees’ success is my success. I will be happy if more players enter the national team,” she says, adding that the Kerala Sports Council has always supported her. Saranya says the BCCI’s move to introduce pay parity has had a positive impact on women’s cricket, with more players coming forward and parents encouraging children to play cricket.
“The investment made in the very first season of WPL shows that the growth of women’s cricket will be exponential. I am happy for women’s cricket. There are no more disparities. We are celebrating cricket,” she says.