I've been following women's cricket for close to 2 decades now and have always wondered what it is to be like a women cricketer in India. I have always wanted to meet and get to know about how it was during the 2000s when there was not much exposure to women's cricket.
My colleague Mugdha finally managed to get hold of a very humble cricketer who obliged for an interview straight away. She is a cricketer who has represented India at the highest level, played a World Cup and managed to share the dressing room with some of the absolute legends of the game.
File Photo: Anagha Arun Deshpande
Click here to see Anagha Deshpande's profile and statistics in international cricket
Here's our interview of a woman who works for Western Railways in Mumbai post her retirement. In this column the readers will get a sneak peak in her life, her cricketing journey and what women's cricket used to be a couple of decades ago with less exposure...
Mugdha: When did you start playing cricket?
Anagha: I started playing cricket when I was in 8th and it continued from thereon. I used to go with my father to various places as he loved playing cricket.
Mugdha: Did your father play cricket professionally too?
Anagha: Yes, He (Arun Deshpande) played club cricket during his time. It was because of him that I started playing cricket.
Mugdha: You have played as a wicket keeper batter. How did the thought of being a wicket keeper come to your mind?
Anagha: I always loved batting. My dad was a wicket keeper so while watching him, I thought of trying it too and that's how I eventually became a keeper.
Mugdha: When you were selected to play for the national side, how did you feel? Who passed on the news to you and how?
Anagha: There was a camp organized for under-21. The team had to go to Pakistan. There were around 40 girls in the camp. They were looking for a wicket keeper batswoman which luckily I was. This is how I was selected in the squad. I got the news through Maharashtra State Association about my selection.
Anagha in action against Pakistan during her under-21 days
Mugdha: How was the feeling when you were told that you are making your debut for the Indian team?
Anagha: I was pretty young during those days so I just wanted to go and play. The adrenaline was such that I had to go out there and do my best. Now when I realize how difficult it is to be a part of the squad, I consider it as a huge achievement and how blessed I was.
Mugdha: How was the competition during those days when you were picked?
Anagha: The competition was very healthy. I was in the age group where there are many individuals who come up through ranks to try and play for the nation. All I wanted was to give my best and not worry about the competition.
Mugdha: Who were the other wicket keeper batswoman as your competitors during those days?
Anagha: There was a girl named Karuna Jain. We both were almost of the same age group but she had played more cricket than me. There were others too but Karuna had more experience under her belt by playing for Air India and different teams.
Karuna Jain (She represented the nation in 4 Tests, 37 ODIs and 9 T20Is)
Mugdha: You made your debut against our arch rivals Pakistan. How was the feeling to make your international debut in such a big game?
Anagha: It is not just about Pakistan but when you represent the nation there is a sense of responsibility that you carry. I had the same feeling and didn't want to let anyone down as my skipper Jhulan Goswami had shown a lot of faith in me.
Mugdha: You made your T20 debut in 2011. What changes did you make to your game as compared to ODIs?
Anagha: I didn't make any changes as such as I was always an attacking batter. The difference was just that I opened in ODIs but I didn't get to do that in T20Is. When you open, you can freely express yourselves but the same cannot be done when you bat in the middle order. You need to play according to the situation. So yes, that is one change I made in my game.
Mugdha: You shared the dressing room with the legends of the game like Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami. How was the experience?
Anagha: You get to learn a lot from the seniors which I did. Especially the work ethics that I learned from them, remained with me for the rest of my career.
Mugdha: Can you tell us about Mithali Raj and how she went about her business? She is regarded as Sachin Tendulkar of women's cricket so there might be something extraordinary that she does. Share your experiences about her.
Anagha: Her dedication level is still the same what it was earlier. She concentrated too much on her game and that's what legends are made up of. She surely had it in her to be crowned the queen of the world. Her legacy will remain forever.
Mugdha: We came agonizingly close to win the 2017 ODI World Cup. While watching as a viewer did you feel we went wrong somewhere?
Anagha: I know the pressure that the girls were in. I was at the receiving end in the World Cup when we lost out in the semis. I somewhere felt that girls didn't go all out as they should have. They started feeling the pressure. These days there is a lot of media exposure which was not the case during our times but still the pressure of a final is altogether different.
Mugdha: Do you feel the fielding standards have changed over the course of years when you played and what it is now?
Anagha: No, fielding standards are still the same. During our days, we had Amita Sharma who was a gun fielder. If anything that has changed, its the fitness levels and how they track the fitness these days to help you keep up with the pace of the game.
Amita Sharma (She represented the nation in 5 Tests, 116 ODIs and 41 T20Is)
Mugdha: Who is your favourite cricketer and why?
Anagha: My favourite cricketer is Rahul Dravid. I always loved the way he remained calm no matter what the situation was. I've seen him at the NCA too. He never got angry at anyone and managed to stay the same throughout his playing days.
Mugdha: There's a lot of sledging that we see these days. Were you a part of sledging during those days? If you sledged someone or were at the receiving end of one?
Anagha: I never sledged anyone but yes we were sledged a lot. Australians were master of sledging. We played them twice in the World Cup, once in the group stages and then in the semis, they made sure we were uncomfortable all the time. They could go to any extent when it came to sledging just to make you uncomfortable and lose focus on the game.
Anagha Deshpande in action against Australia
Mugdha: We all know that Jhulan Goswami is still playing the game. Did you ever feel scared while facing her in the nets? What do you have to say about her?
Anagha: No (chuckles), I was never scared to face anyone with raw pace as I grew up playing with boys so I loved pace and I was mentally prepared to play pace. Talking about Jhulan, it is not at all easy for a fast bowler to play and bowl with the same pace for 20 years. She is still going strong even after 2 decades.
Mugdha: What is your most memorable moment in your career?
Anagha: The 3rd place finish in the 2008-09 World Cup was the most memorable moment of my life. We had lost to Australia in the semis due to minimal mistakes otherwise we could have won the World Cup that year.
Mugdha: These days you see a player like Shafali Verma who goes hammer and tonks after the bowling right from the first ball. Was their any such player when you played?
Anagha: During the end of my career, I had played with a young Harmanpreet Kaur who used to go after the bowling. I guess she is the trendsetter when it comes to hitting sixes at will.
Anagha Deshpande with Harmanpreet Kaur
Mugdha: India and Australia are all set to clash horns in a multi-format tour starting 21 September. Which is the better side currently between India and Australia?
Anagha: Australia is better currently. They are better because of the domestic structure that they have. Indian team is quite young and might need some years to play at the same level of Australia. Their domestic base is pretty stronger which helps the younger cricketers to play well under pressure.
Mugdha: Few words about Shafali Verma who has took the world by storm at a very young age?
Anagha: I don't know her personally though but what I have seen of her, I can say India is having a bright future. She has now also been picked to play all the formats which is really great indeed.
Mugdha: You have seen Mithali Raj during her younger days and now she is a legend. When you see the current team, do you feel there's that cricketer who can make it big in international cricket?
Anagha: I had seen Mithali Raj and the hardwork that she put in training. She was always consistent in international cricket just like Rahul Dravid. In the current team, everyone is young and it's too early to judge them based on a few performances and it will take another couple of years to make a judgement.
Mithali Raj in action
Mugdha: Which is your most favourite match that you have watched?
Anagha: It has to be the 2017 WC semifinal when Harmanpreet Kaur knocked the Australians out. It was a great match to watch.
Mugdha: Who is your favourite male cricketer?
Anagha: Virat Kohli. He is consistently scoring runs. The dedication level that he has can be matched by none and is visible to you as a viewer as well and the credit should be given where its due.
Mugdha: Do you follow IPL and which is your favourite team?
Anagha: I watch the IPL and I don't have any favourite team but as I stay in Mumbai, I cheer for them whenever they play.
Mugdha: Last year you were asked to coach the Uttarakhand women's team. How was the experience?
Anagha: Yes, I was there as a batting and wicket keeping coach. I really loved being the part of the whole set up. More than enjoying, I learned a lot too. Being a player and a coach are two entirely different things but I am glad that I am able to cherish both the roles.
