CHENNAI: As Shafali Verma began trudging back to the dressing room after falling four runs short of a Test century on debut – against England in Bristol on Thursday – there was a collective sigh of despair across a vast section of cricket fans.
While there was plenty to savour in her stroke-filled 96, a century would have just capped off what is proving to be a burgeoning rise in the international game.
Here is a 17-year-old – having never played a competitive first-class game – playing on her Test debut like she used to in tennis-ball games in the dusty by-lanes of Rohtak, without a sense of fear or apprehension. The simple, uncluttered approach at the top of the order has already earned her comparisons with Virender Sehwag.
Sehwag, of course, had a penchant for reaching big landmarks with a six, and Shafali perhaps tried to do the same. But she will learn in due course.
“Whenever a batter gets out in the 90s, there is only disappointment. I was also disappointed. But this innings will give me a lot of confidence. The next time I am in this situation, I will look to convert it into a century,” the youngster said at the close of play on Thursday.
Ever since making her T20I debut for India – at the age of 15 – Shafali’s precocious talent has been apparent. The T20 World Cup in Australia last year – where India finished runners-up – was where she really rose to prominence, with her aggression at the top of the order and ability to clear boundaries with ease coming as a breath of fresh air.
Power-hitting is not all that common in the women’s game, but Shafali’s upbringing has had its effect. She has grown up playing with and against boys, including her brother, and her father would challenge her to hit more sixes than anybody else. The incentive offered was Rs 10 or 15 at most.
“There used to be a six-hitting competition between me and my brother. My father used to tell us that whoever hit more sixes will get Rs 10 or 15 as a reward. Because of that, I used to hit a lot of sixes. If I am doing well now, it is because I have put in a lot of hard work on my hitting and choosing the balls to hit,” Shafali fondly reminisced.
Her six-hitting prowess was on display in Bristol as she cleared the boundary on a couple of occasions. But a solid defence and awareness to keep out the good balls are also essential against the red ball in English conditions, where the movement on offer is a lot more than what you would generally find in India. Shafali seems acutely aware of that and says that she worked on choosing the right balls to hit in the lead-up to her debut.
“Ahead of this game, I was working on choosing the right balls to hit and also working on my fitness,” she informed, “It feels very good when I contribute for the team. I just want to keep this going.”
The women’s game has been locked in a perennial fight for relevance in India, with the lack of Test matches for the girls to play being just one of a number of issues. While there are some structural problems, the emergence of Shafali could prove to be a game-changer as her dazzling strokeplay has the potential to draw in new viewers and put bums on seats. She is, of course, at the infancy of her international career, but if she is managed correctly and works hard enough herself, there is no reason why she shouldn’t have a long, distinguished career. And there will be many centuries in store as well.