I Passed WBBL Offers To Play For The Bengal Team: Jhulan Goswami

India pacer, Jhulan Goswami reveals the reason why she doesn’t play in the Women’s Big Bash League in Australia. Speaking to journalist, Boria Majumdar, Goswami said that she has been offered WBBL contracts multiple times but has refused to play in the T20 league as it clashed with the women’s state competition of Bengal.

Goswami revealed that she was certain to play in the WBBL maiden edition in 2015. However, the secretary of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) asked the senior bowler to stay and participate in the domestic season, which began at the same time as the WBBL.

“The first edition of the WBBL, I got an offer. So I was excited to go and play and experience a different environment and culture. The Australian season and our domestic season starts at the same time. So I had gone to CAB to meet the secretary and tell him that I am not going to play this season, as I got a good offer from Australia and wanted to play that tournament,” Jhulan Goswami told Sports Today.

“He told ‘What, if you are not going to play this season, we are not participating. Who is going to look after the girls and our team will lose.’ So I asked him if he was serious or just kidding,” said Goswami.

I cannot stay away from the Bengal team: Jhulan Goswami

The CAB secretary told Goswami that she was the most important person in the team, and it would be impossible for the side to even play well, let alone win, without her presence in the side.

The 38-year-old says that she was overwhelmed by the expectations of the CAB secretary and decided to pass the riches of a T20 contract to help young girls in Bengal. Goswami along with the former captain, Mithali Raj has retired from international T20s but continues to play ODI cricket for India.

“He said he was actually serious and said – ‘If you are not playing, there was no point having the camps because we believe if you are there, then we can win otherwise we will stop everything and they will go with one day preparation and play because they are not going to win. And we want to win the trophy and without you, it is not possible.”

“I thought about the girls who want to make their careers. So I told Sir that I will leave the WBBL offer and play domestic cricket. Since that time onwards, I decided not to go because every time the domestic season and WBBL clashes.

“And every time I get an offer from WBBL franchises, I just keep telling them no. They keep asking me about the reason (for my refusal).  That is the reason because I cannot stay away from the Bengal team. My heart is here,” the lanky pacer said.

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