2022 Is A Goal Now But You Have To Be Part Of The Process- Jhulan Goswami

Jhulan Goswami, the leading wicket-taker in the history of Women ODI Cricket, will be 39 by the time next 50-over World Cup rolls around, but that champion Indian bowler hasn’t yet given up her dream of representing the Women in Blue in the marquee quadrennial event and possibly cap-off her storied career with a World Cup medal.

The Women’s 50-over World Cup, which was originally scheduled to take place in New Zealand in February-March 2021, has now been shifted to 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic in the latest ICC Board meeting held on Friday. The 50-over quadrennial event was set to be the swansong for a plethora of veteran cricketers like Mithali Raj and Jhulan herself.

Jhulan’s teammate and ODI skipper Mithali Raj took to Twitter on Friday where he wrote that the postponement of the World Cup by 12 months has given her team much-needed time to prepare for the tournament and that she is very much looking forward to fulfilling her dream. Jhulan Goswami also wants to be there in New Zealand but according to the veteran pacer, it’s all about taking one series at a time from now and that participation will depend on her form and fitness leading into the tournament.

“We have got a lot of time for preparation, almost 18 months, but on the other hand, it would have been good if it happened next year as I was focussed on that for long. Now you will need to think beyond that. We have not played any cricket in the past five-six months and players like me (who play only ODIs) played back in November (2019) as all teams played T20s ahead of the World Cup (2020 in Australia in Feb-March),” Jhulan Goswami told PTI.

”To play for India is the biggest honor. Yes, 2022 is the goal now but you have to be part of the process and play matches consistently and perform and then you can think about the World Cup because there is a lot of time left and it is not round the corner anymore. At this time, I can only think about the next series and performing in it and start from zero and that is what I am going to do. I can’t tell you what may happen between now and 2022 as it is still far away,” Jhulan Goswami added.

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‘At the moment, it is all about getting access to the ground’- Jhulan Goswami

Jhulan Goswami, just like Mithali Raj, hasn’t represented India since November 2019. The Women in Blue are set to resume their training September before they lock horns with South Africa at home and then feature in the Women’s T20 Challenge in the United Arab Emirates, and Goswami is looking forward to getting into the thick of things.

“At this moment, it is about getting access to the ground, hopefully, we will have a camp in September before the Women’s T20 Challenge (during IPL in November), which is the next assignment we have,” she added.

Jhulan Goswami also went on to slam the foreign players for their outrage over the BCCI planning to hold the Women’s T20 Challenge at a  time when the rebel WBBL will be on in India. The fast bowler said that what the foreign players said was ‘not right and ethical’, adding that BCCI’s decision is for the development of Indian cricket.

”The fact that BCCI is going ahead with it is an achievement. It is only this time both events are clashing for the reason beyond our control. What the foreign players said is not right and ethical. It is BCCI’s decision for the development of Indian cricket and not any other country. If you don’t like the timing it is okay but you cannot question BCCI’s decision,” she added.

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