"Put a lot of effort just to represent my country" - Jhulan Goswami on her incredible cricketing journey
India's fast bowling stalwart Jhulan Goswami recently spoke about how she was motivated to don the national jersey when she was the ball girl during the ICC Women's World Cup final in 1997 at Eden Gardens.
In a video shared by the BCCI Women on Twitter, the right-arm pacer mentioned that she aspired to be a part of the national team after witnessing the summit clash between Australia and New Zealand. She emphasized how she put in the hard yards to turn her dream into reality.
Jhulan Goswami said:
"In 1997, I saw the women’s World Cup final at the Eden Gardens between Australia and New Zealand as a ball girl. That day, I dreamt of representing my country one day. That is how I started. I put a lot of effort just to represent my country and that is the biggest moment of my life so far."
🗣️ 🗣️ The legendary @JhulanG10 takes us through what it means to play for India. 🇮🇳 👏
#TeamIndia | #ENGvIND https://t.co/KkLbVe8Ea2
Goswami's stunning two-decade long career has been an inspiration for many. The 39-year-old is set to play her final international game for India on Saturday, September 24, against England in London.
"That was the most important moment of my life" - Jhulan Goswami on her first-ever over in international cricket
Goswami further added that her Team India debut remains one of the most cherished moments of her life. The champion bowler's first appearance in international cricket dates back to January 2002.
The seasoned campaigner stated that bowling her first over in her debut match was a very important moment for her. Goswami was impressive in the ODI match against England, picking up two wickets and conceding just 15 runs from seven overs in Chennai.
She added:
"The best memory is probably when I represented India for the first time and got my India cap from the captain. It was an amazing feeling. And bowling that first over of my career, that was the most important moment of my life because I had always dreamt of playing for my country."
With 253 scalps from 203 outings, Jhulan Goswami is the leading wicket-taker in women's ODI history. She has also featured in 68 T20Is for Team India and has bagged 56 wickets from the same.