Jhulan Goswami: A champion who lived her dreams, and inspired generations

In a two-decade long highly accomplished career, Jhulan Goswami inspired the rise of women’s cricket India, and gave the sport and the country plenty to be proud of.
 By Roshan Gede Sep 25, 2022, 10:25 IST
Jhulan Goswami ?width=963&height=541&resizemode=4
A “once-in-a-generation” player.

Watching international stalwarts in a World Cup at home as a teen ball-kid, the motivation catalysing an international debut a few years later, a highly accomplished career spanning over two decades follows, culminating in a much-deserved farewell at one of game’s most iconic venues.

Perhaps, most of you are already somewhat misguided by the first name that strikes your mind, but there’s another cricketer who leaves an unparalleled legacy of her own, no less in terms of inspiring generations.

Jhulan Goswami was a ball-girl at the final of the 1997 Women’s Cricket World Cup final at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, marvelling over the brilliance of Cathryn Fitzpatrick, who returned 10-2-22-1 in Australia’s fourth World Cup final win.

The stern determination aided in overcoming every challenge thrown at a young age, and the lessons learnt through the tough journey, which was punctuated with injuries - back, shoulder, ankle and knee - only made her strong enough to represent the country for over two decades. As it turned out, Goswami and Mithali Raj became synonymous to the Indian Women’s cricket, and in the process catalysed the rise of the Harmanpreets, Mandhanas, Deeptis and the rest, making the team one to be respected.

"When I started, I never thought about playing for so long,” Goswami recalled ahead of her final India appearance at Lord’s. “Those days we used to represent WCAI (Women's Cricket Association of India), and after 2006, we [have been] under the umbrella of the BCCI. I used to undertake a two-and-a-half-hour one-way train journey from Chakdaha, train and go back home and then go back for practice the next day. But the best memory was when I represented India, getting my India cap from my captain (Anjum Chopra) and bowling the first over in my career. That was the most important moment in my life.”

By the time Fitzpatrick retired with a record 180 ODI wickets in 2007, Goswami was already en route greatness, and months later, became the first Indian to be named the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year. 11 years later, she bettered Fitzpatrick’s tally, and on Saturday, September 24, retired from the game with a record 255 wickets in ODIs, and 355 across formats. The ODI career span of 20 years and 261 days is the second-longest in the Women’s game after Raj’s.

As Goswami was in action for India one last time against England at Lord’s, the Cricket Association of Bengal announced the naming of a stand at the Eden Gardens in her honour.

“Another beautiful reason to celebrate an iconic venue,” remarked Mike Atherton on air, moments after the right-arm quick floored England opener Emma Lamb with the batter attempting a ramp.

A few minutes later, Goswami added to her world-record tally, dismissing Alice Capsey during India’s defence of 169. “Shabaash ladki!” (well bowled, girl), she chirped from the first slip next over, as Renuka Singh, a promising successor, almost breached Sophie Dunkley’s defence. Renuka castled Dunkley a ball later, much to her own delight as much as 39-year-old Jhulan’s.

The age however, is misleading. Ask Rohit Sharma, who recently confessed of being “challenged by her inswinger” in nets, while expressing amazement over the perennial intensity. 

"I do not know how old she is, even at this age, she is running this hard and trying to knock the opposition out,” Rohit said ahead of the first India vs Australia T20I earlier this week. "Whenever I have seen her play, she has always shown so much passion for the country, which is good learning for all the young kids who are coming up and wanting to represent the country, whether it is women's cricket or men's cricket."

For Goswami, “the aim was to just represent India and bowl fast. That desire to bowl fast remained forever." The metronomic accuracy to go with a lethal inswinger made her a champion bowler, accounting for quality batters like Tammy Beaumont (eight times), Charlotte Edwards (6), Sarah Taylor (6), Suzie Bates (5) and Lizelle Lee (5) among others in ODIs alone.

The inswinger made the one that held its line (and at times seamed away ever so slightly) as challenging to play, as Meg Lanning discovered in the 2017 World Cup semi-final. A few days later, India fell agonisingly short of clinching a maiden World Cup title, 12 years after Goswami (and Raj) had featured in the first failed attempt.

“It has hurt feelings and that is one regret," she admits.

Back to Lord’s 2022. Goswami, who bats with glasses on, has fine reflexes regardless, and she shows that with a brilliant low catch in the slip to dismiss Sophie Ecclestone. The sharp anticipation and completion of the catch would make Mark Waugh and Rahul Dravid proud, and no, we ain’t exaggerating. Only Suize Bates has more catches as a fielder in ODIs than Goswami’s 69 - a feat overshadowed by her mastery in her primary art. 

The fire could be seen with the bat in hand too, as was seen last year when Australia’s enviable 26-match winning streak was broken in a heroic finish. Overall, Goswami aggregated 1,824 runs across formats lower down the order with three fifties, including one in a landmark 157-run stand with Raj in Taunton in 2002, helping the latter to a record-breaking 214.

With the first ball of the final over of her career, Goswami became the first Women cricketer to send down 10,000 balls in ODI cricket. The second best is Katherine Brunt with 6,847. The next ball was a deadly inswinger, and much like many in the past, Kate Cross saw her leg-stump shattered. India were now a wicket away from a 3-0 sweep, days after they had already sealed their first series win in England since 1999. A long embrace from skipper Harmanpreet Kaur followed, matched by another after Goswami delivered her final ball moments later.

The game’s unusual (bizarrre to some) end was followed by a rousing reception from the players and fans present at the venue.

Amid all the tributes dedicated to celebrate a legendary player, Renuka returned 4/29 - her fifth four-fer across formats within the first year of her international career. Six years ago, the 26 year old had watched Jhulu di with great admiration as a ball-girl during the Women’s T20 World Cup at home. 

“I used to look at her all the time, everyone gets inspired by her and her work ethic,” said Renuka, as she received the Player of the Match award.

For all her enviable records, Goswami’s greatest legacy remains effectuating the rise of Indian Women’s Cricket team, and inspiring young guns like Renuka and the rest by being a role-model, mentor, guide and beyond.

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