T20 World Cup performance shows Indian women have potential to dominate, says WV Raman
Head coach WV Raman has said that he truly believes India’s showing in the recently-concluded Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia indicates its potential to dominate women’s cricket in the near future. Raman took India to their maiden final in the showdown in Australia earlier this month.
Contrary to popular prediction, India’s women came through a tough group stage — including Australia and New Zealand — unbeaten to enter the final. Up against the defending champions, however, the Women in Blue faltered and fell short by some distance. But looking at the big picture — a final appearance in a tri-series with Australia and England and a maiden T20 World Cup final — Raman believes the team is headed in the upward direction only.
“It was a tough tour. They came out with flying colours because they didn't get overawed by stronger opposition. Also, they needed to adapt quickly and change a few things in order to be successful on those tracks. Their performance has shown Indian cricket can be a dominant force in the women's category as well. They are a young side and their performance was important to inspire girls, especially those who are on the threshold of deciding whether to take up women's cricket as a profession,” Raman told TOI in an exclusive interview.
All the discussions post that spectacular night at a packed MCG stadium was whether India were too reliant on their spin department. The Indians conceded 180-plus with the Aussie openers in punishing form, before being bundled over for just 99. As per the former India left-hander, the hindsight assessments carry little weight. He affirms that India fielded their best lineup every time they stepped onto the field.
“You cannot say we were over-dependent on spin. We had to assess (the situation) and field our best combination. Spin has definitely been our strength. We can now say this could have happened or that would have worked better, but I don't think the dependence on spinners was a crisis. If you are down in the first 30-45 minutes of a T20 match, it is always going to be very difficult to come back,” he said.
The men’s game in India has seen a rise of fast bowling talent from all nooks of the country. The 54-year-old reckons the same will be true of women’s cricket once they step up their physical strength.
“The pace department is a work in progress. It will take time because we need the players to become physically stronger. This, in turn, will enable them to work on their skills,” Raman added.