"It was a different feeling" - Jhulan Goswami recalls her early struggles ahead of farewell match
Senior Team India pacer Jhulan Goswami recently discussed the hardships she faced in her younger days while pursuing her cricketing dream.
In a video shared by the official handles of the Indian cricket team, the veteran bowler stated that she had to travel long distances from her hometown of Chakdaha to train. She revealed how she toiled hard before finally making it to the national team.
Jhulan Goswami said:
"It was a different feeling, never thought about it, coming from Chakdaha, coming back to train. Every day, going on a one-and-a-half-hour one-way journey, doing training, coming back, and going again the next day."
The 39-year-old made her debut for India in January of 2002 in a women's ODI fixture against England in Chennai. The right-armer, in her two-decade-long career, went on to become a trail-brazer in women's cricket, inspiring many young players across the nation.
"They always come forward to support" - Jhulan Goswami on the BCCI's contribution to the success of women's cricket
Jhulan Goswami stated that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has played a major role in the success of women's cricket. She praised the board for working towards the development of the sport in the country.
The seasoned campaigner highlighted how the BCCI has always come forward to help develop women's cricket in India, focussing on grassroots development. Goswami added:
"When I started, it was very different. Those days, we used to represent the Women’s Cricket Association of India, and we have been under the umbrella of BCCI since 2016.
"We are fortunate enough to have BCCI’s support to develop women’s cricket from the grassroots level. They always come forward to support us with whatever is required to develop women’s cricket."
The upcoming third ODI between India and England will be Goswami's final appearance in international cricket. The contest will be played at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground in London on Saturday (September 24).