Jhulan Goswami: When my brothers played at home, I was the ball girl. After they finished playing, I would try my hand at it. It felt good

Six hundred wickets. Even the mention of the number 600 evokes a sense of awe. For a woman to scale this peak is like a male cricketer taking 1,000 wickets or more. And yet, she remains modest. Humble to the core, Jhulan Goswami is a real legend of the game and someone I consider family. That’s why the call was a formality. I had to speak to her before she left for New Zealand to play what is perhaps the most important tournament in her two-decade-long career. It was important for me to celebrate her. Be a part of her World Cup journey. Let her know how proud we all are. “Boriada, I would love to talk but the journey isn’t over yet,” said Jhulan. “We have to win this, you know. That’s when, overnight, things will change. Think of 1983. That’s what this World Cup is for us. The moment when women’s cricket will change forever.

We had an opportunity in 2017. We were close. And it still hurts. But that’s past. What’s the present is this World Cup and we have to make the most of this opportunity,” said Jhulan.

I could sense the passion. She is waiting to run in and give it her all. The culmination of 20 years of work. While the result isn’t in her hands, the effort is and, in that regard, Jhulan will never be lacking. As we settled down for a long conversation, time just flew.

Jhulan, I can sense a very positive atmosphere in the team, given the way you competed against Australia last year. You all have a serious chance in the World Cup.

There is a lot of talent in the team. The openers are doing very well and in Shafali (Verma) and Smriti (Mandhana) we have two real match winners. If one of them fires, we are off to a flier.

Mithali (Raj) is a legend. Having played 20 years with her, I can say it is an honour and she will absolutely want to win that final trophy for the country. Harman (Kaur) and Deepti (Sharma) have the experience, and in Yastika (Bhatia) and Richa (Ghosh) we have two very good youngsters. Our batting is all set at the moment. In bowling, too, we have a very well balanced team now. Meghna (Singh) is doing well and we have Pooja (Vastrakar). The spin department is well taken care of. All of a sudden we are looking at a team that has a real chance. Also, we have played England in England and done well. We are playing Australia in Australia and doing well. These are the two best teams and to do well against them gives us a lot of confidence. That’s what it is all about. While the World Cup will be different because it will be a lot of mental pressure, there is no reason why we won’t do well.

I can tell you the next two months are huge for Indian cricket. And what about you personally: Perhaps the most important tournament you have played in?

Absolutely. You can say that. When I started out playing cricket, never did I imagine I would be in 2022, playing my last World Cup for India. But while I say that, I have to say that I do want to call myself a World Cup winner. Hold that trophy once. Make a pitch to be on that podium as the best in the world. Each one of us, Boriada, try to be the best in what we do. And when you play a team sport, there is nothing bigger than the World Cup. You are the best in the world. Even thinking about it gives me goosebumps. So, to answer your question, for me personally there is nothing bigger. I have been thinking and preparing myself for this tournament for months and it is time I gave it everything I have. Preparation is in my hands and I can tell you I will go into the tournament the best prepared. Thereafter, a lot of things take over. But in terms of effort, I will not be lacking. I can promise you that.

You have seen huge highs and real lows. Does that help you get better? For example, that fateful No Ball in Australia last year. It must have been very frustrating. How do you deal with such moments? Tell me about the 36 hours between that No Ball and the boundary in the final ODI of the series. You have seen every shade of human emotion possible.

We should have won that match. 275 in women’s cricket is a very good score and should have been defended. The ball was really wet and it was impossible to grip it. We aren’t used to bowling in such wet conditions and that impacted us. I couldn’t sleep that night. I stayed awake till 3:30AM, pacing up and down the room. I was riddled with self-doubt. I still couldn’t come to terms with the defeat. I was blaming myself for it and was feeling that I had let the team down. Finally, I slept and woke up around 10:30AM. Within minutes,

Harman and Smriti called me and said they were waiting for me in the lobby and were taking me out to breakfast. They did not even give me a chance to think. I have my own routine on pre-match days but they were insistent I break the routine. At breakfast they said to me it was time to forget what had happened and that I would be the one to win India the third game. All of a sudden, it felt good. When your teammates say such things to you, it makes a huge difference. I could gather my thoughts again and started to focus on the job at hand. I had to overcome all the negativity and think about the next game. It was an opportunity and I had to make the most of it.

And that final shot, Jhulan!

When I was sitting in the dugout, Ramesh Powar came to me and said I would be the one who would hit the winning stroke. Mithali was very calm and was constantly telling me it was possible. I was like “Coach, Really!” And when Sneh (Rana) got out, I said to myself I had to be there and close the game. This was my opportunity. Honestly, it had been set up for me and I had made up my mind to hit straight. Go straight over the bowler’s head or over mid-off. That was my arc. When the ball was within my arc, I was not to hold back. I literally said to myself “Go Jhulan!” and went all in. When I connected, I knew it was a good shot. And when I saw the ball cross the boundary it was more relief than anything else. I had been able to win the team a very important game and nothing matters to me more than doing something for my team.

Six hundred wickets. Now, that’s incredible. And you aren’t done yet.

I had no idea Boriada. I can honestly tell you I had no idea whatsoever. After the match in Australia, one of the girls in the dressing room told me, “Jhuludi aap ka 600 wickets ho gaya. BCCI has tweeted.” I thought: 600 wickets? Where? How? That’s when I realised I had reached a major milestone. But you know what, I had never imagined all this. All I wanted to do was play that one match for India and pick that one wicket. That’s what I had started out to do and all this is just like living a dream. If I am remembered as one who tried to make a difference to the game and inspired a few to play the game after me, I am happy.

You just said that you never imagined any of this. To come from Chakdah to where you have isn’t a mean feat. You are one of your kind. How do you look back?

As I said, I am living a dream. When my brothers played at home, I was the ball girl. After they finished playing, I would try my hand at it. It felt good. Thereafter, it was my training at Vivekananda Park. God blessed me with the physique and the height. It just kept on happening and all I did was work hard. I never compromised on my work ethic. Never looked for a shortcut. That’s what I knew. To work harder and give it my best. Everything else is a by-product. We as individuals can work hard and that’s how it should be. Results aren’t in your hands. We should all aim to control the controllable and the controllable is your own effort. In my case, that’s what I have done and whatever I have achieved is because of hard work.

A word on the Mil-Jhul partnership. It will be the end of an era.

She was my leader when I came into the team. And one who has been a pioneer of our sport. It has been a privilege playing with her, under her, and as her captain. Now, to finish my career with Mithali as captain is special. All I want is to do this together and have a good World Cup for India. For her, for all that she has done and achieved for the sport, there can’t be a better ending. And may I say she deserves to win the World Cup as player and captain.

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