"I said don't call me ma'am, Jhulan didi is fine" - Jhulan Goswami on her role as Mumbai Indians' mentor and bowling coach in the WPL
Jhulan Goswami has disclosed that she light-heartedly asked the Mumbai Indians (MI) players not to call her 'ma'am'.
Jhulan was MI's mentor and bowling coach in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side won the inaugural edition of the tournament by defeating the Delhi Capitals in the final.
During an interaction with Anjum Chopra on her YouTube channel, Jhulan Goswami was asked about becoming 'Jhulu didi' and how she is managing her role with the Mumbai Indians, to which she responded:
"Now I have become Jhulu ma'am. Nothing much to do. I played as usual and then I became a senior like you and they started calling me didi. Now when I am working in the WPL after retirement, some kids come and call me Jhulu ma'am. I said - 'Don't call me ma'am, Jhulan didi is fine. I am feeling old when you call me ma'am'."
The former Indian pacer highlighted the Mumbai Indians' professional approach and that she got to learn a lot from that:
"When I joined MI, because MI is such a big franchise, already they have won five times in men's cricket, so they have a process, highly professional side and to get attached to the team there, to sit on the auction table, all that was a new experience and I tried to learn and adapt to those things."
Jhulan pointed out that the team got very few days of practice ahead of the tournament but the Indian domestic and overseas players gelled extremely well. She added that MI is actually one family, which has always been their motto.
"I was most emotional when it was officially announced that the WPL will start" - Jhulan Goswami
Jhulan Goswami was further asked about her feelings when the WPL was announced before getting associated with the Mumbai Indians and then finally winning the title with them, to which she replied:
"I was most emotional when it was officially announced that the WPL will start because there was a discussion from 2016 onwards between us - players and the BCCI - that the WPL should start."
While observing that the buzz created after the 2017 World Cup might have made it the most opportune moment to start the tournament, Jhulan expressed happiness that their long-time demand was finally fulfilled:
"Then the 2017 World Cup was such a big success, we reached the final, the atmosphere that was created in India, the buzz that was required, then we thought maybe that was the right time but somehow it did not click. Finally when it was announced it was enjoyable as it was our fight, in a good way."
Jhulan concluded by pointing out that the Indian players will no longer have to ply their trade in overseas leagues and that the domestic cricketers have got an opportunity to play at a higher level. She added that the tournament will create a talent pool for the national side.