Sunday will go down as a red-letter day in women’s cricketing history for more reasons than one. Alyssa Healy of Australia accomplished the greatest run chase in women’s one-day cricket against India at Visakhapatnam. If the ending of the World Cup match was awe-inspiring, its beginning at the YSR Reddy Andhra Cricket Association-VDCA stadium was about grateful remembrance. For only the third time in India, a stadium got stands and gates named after legendary women cricketers—a stand after former India captain Mithali Raj and a gate after Andhra Pradesh and India wicketkeeper-batter R Kalpana. Only two other venues in the country have honoured women cricketers in such a manner. In 2017, the Delhi District Cricket Association named two gates at what was then called the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium after former captain Anjum Chopra. Eight years down the line, the Cricket Association of Bengal honoured former captain and legendary pacer Jhulan Goswami with a stand at the Eden Gardens.
One cannot forget the hard work of legends who helped the women’s game grow despite a severe shortage of money and infrastructure. Inscribing their names permanently at facilities to be used by fans and cricketers can instil pride and act as a great motivator. However, the Indian cricket board and its state affiliates can surely do more. Last year, selector Venkatacher Kalpana raised the issue that Shantha Rangaswamy, India’s first women’s team captain, was not on the list of legends being honoured with stands at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy stadium. Last week, several former India and Mumbai cricketers wrote to the Mumbai Cricket Association urging to name a stand after ex-captain Diana Edulji. Smriti Mandhana, vice-captain of the present team, has added her voice to the growing demand.
Such memorialising through naming is a norm in India and men have shared most of the honours. However, it must be noted that as the women’s game has experienced a significant upward trend in recent years, so has the fame of some of its players. This is evident from the crowds thronging the Women’s World Cup venues—though the stadiums are not full, their numbers are significantly larger than in earlier years. Hopefully, as the World Cup attracts more attention as it rolls towards the semifinals, the Indian cricket board and state units will consider expanding the inclusive trend in naming.
