Title: <\/b>Why women\u2019s cricket not growing in India.<\/p>\n
Author: <\/b>Aniket Prakash Magar<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>Introduction: <\/b>Cricket is regarded as the God of all games in India. Cricketers gain massive attention from media, agencies, sponsors and fans. But here is the catch: this may not be true in the case of women\u2019s cricket across the world. The performance of male players on the field is said to evoke plenty of emotions among the audience. However, that is not the case with the Indian women\u2019s cricket team. Women\u2019s cricket lacks a lot of facilities and proper promotion strategies to engage the fans. The field of women\u2019s cricket still needs a lot of effort to make people aware of it. Let\u2019s find out the issues faced by women\u2019s cricket in India and possible solutions for the same. “Mithali Raj, while speaking about the 2005 World Cup, mentioned that at that time, they did not have any central contracts from the BCCI. They used to receive only 1000 Rs for playing a World Cup match. But they still made it happen because they had the passion and love towards the game. in this research, I have identified the same problem as to \u201cwhy women’s cricket is not growing in India\u201d.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 1.1 <\/span><\/span><\/b>Issues faced by women\u2019s cricketers in India.<\/b><\/p>\n Investors invest in the players that they think will fetch them good returns. Most investors give excuses if they are asked to invest in the women\u2019s team. And the common excuse is that women are not just as good as men. As women\u2019s cricket has less fan base around the world, the investors refrain from investing heavy amounts of money on the players and tournaments. Womens cricketers need lighter weight and custom size cricket bats which are very difficult to find in stores. So it is advisable to always go for custom made English Willow which is made specifically for them. You can\u2019t beat the importance of quality equipment while playing cricket. So getting a premium quality cricket kit becomes an important factor in improving an individual\u2019s game. Cricket Australia cleared the schedule of the men\u2019s cricket team during the Women\u2019s Big Bash League in its 2nd edition. It resulted in a massive 6 lakh viewers for a match between the Sydney Thunders and Melbourne Renegades. World cricket knows Australia is an excellent team when it comes to women’s cricket. When India lost the 2017 world cup Indian Captain mithali raj said that we lost the match because everyone was nervous.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 1.2 <\/span><\/span><\/b>Why so few girls play cricket in India.<\/b><\/p>\n National data indicates that 29% of women in India engage in some form of sports. Specifically focusing on cricket, 15% of women play the sport. Despite this interest, women\u2019s cricket still faces significant hurdles compared to the men\u2019s game. Disparity in Matches: Women\u2019s cricket is scheduled for far fewer matches than men\u2019s cricket. A shocking fact is that the BCCI only took over women\u2019s cricket in 2006 nearly 80 years after men\u2019s cricket began at the international level in India. The sport also faces safety concerns, a lack of female coaches, and a shortage of female-only training groups.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 1.3 <\/span><\/span>The problems with women\u2019s cricket in India<\/b>.<\/p>\n Have you ever seen girls playing cricket instead of boys? My guess is “no.” This is the starting point for any story about Indian women\u2019s cricket. At the school level, girls in India have practically no opportunity to play cricket. There are no school or club matches to help selectors identify talent for the U-19 level. Consequently, a player only gets to play matches if she is already considered good enough to be selected for a state team. This lack of opportunity is the biggest concern for young girls who want to start playing. Finding a proper coach or an academy becomes the next hurdle. For example, a nine-year-old who wanted to play once walked into the Arshad Ayub Academy. The coaches looked at her with uncertainty, saying she was too young and probably would not settle in well with the boys. She insisted, “I’m better than the boys. I’ll show you. I want to play.” Even today, women\u2019s cricket in India is not yet a fully professional sport.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 1.4 <\/span><\/span><\/b>It\u2019s not about money, it\u2019s about will: Why women\u2019s cricket in India lagging behind.<\/b><\/p>\n The Board of Control for Cricket in India is the richest cricket body in the world and has accordingly empowered its associations. Therefore, money is not always the issue when it comes to investing in the women\u2019s game discussing the pathways for women\u2019s cricket with Indian cricketer Sushma Verma and retired pacer-turned journalist Snehal Pradhan, Shetty and Karim gave the insider\u2019s perspectives on why Indian women\u2019s cricket is perhaps lagging from an administrative standpoint. Srinivas Reddy, a women\u2019s coach at the Andhra Cricket Association “We sent women coordinators to rural schools, summer camps were set up in all 13 districts. I was there but we needed a women so we brought in former India coach Purnima Rau and we travelled for two years. In 2010 an exclusive women\u2019s residential academy was set up,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 1.5 <\/span><\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Why is women\u2019s cricket not gaining popularity in India?<\/b><\/p>\n Coming from a land of cricket lovers, India has established almost demi-god status to the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and now Virat Kohli.<\/p>\n Be it the tours, practice sessions, brand endorsements or their personal lives, everything gets covered by the media. However, this idolisation doesn’t seem to appear for the Indian women\u2019s cricket team who have been living in the shadows of the men’s team. Even India women’s cricket team skipper Mithali Raj admitted to the disparaging comparison and asserted that female cricketers should not be compared to their male counterparts. For a country that takes pride in treating cricket as a religion, surprisingly, not many are even aware of the names of the cricketers in the women\u2019s team.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 1.6 <\/span><\/span><\/b>Inequality in opportunities, facilities and support among male and female cricketers in India.<\/b><\/p>\n Cricket is India’s most popular sport, but women’s cricket is often overlooked. Women\u2019s cricket started in 1973, even before the men\u2019s World Cup in 1975, but there is still a big gap between male and female cricketers. Men play more matches, get more number of grounds, facilities, and media coverage, while<\/p>\n women only get a few series each year mostly at a single venue. Female players have fewer training grounds, less recognition and crowd engagement, which affects their growth and performance. Because of less media attention and public support, women\u2019s cricket is not as popular as men\u2019s cricket. This inequality discourages many women from choosing cricket as a career. Data from 2001-2023 shows that male cricketers in India have been more supported and encouraged than female cricketers.<\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n 1.7 <\/span><\/span><\/b>The hidden battles: Why Indian women\u2019s cricket faces tougher challenges.<\/b><\/p>\n Women\u2019s cricket in India has already shown some promising results in recent years, but female cricketers face distinct obstacles their male counterparts encounter more rarely. Women\u2019s cricket offers a starkly different reality. The gap between junior and senior cricket is often massive, with fewer competitive matches during crucial developmental years. Many talented female players simply don\u2019t get enough high-quality game time to develop properly. There are some barriers like social and cultural barrier, media coverage. Stories from players across generations reveal consistent patterns: families hesitating to support cricket aspirations, limited safe travel options, inadequate accommodation during tournaments, and constant navigation of gender expectations in public spaces.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 1.8 <\/span><\/span><\/b>Economic potential of women cricket waiting to be exploited.<\/b><\/p>\n It is being pointed out that with the ascendancy of India controlling the affairs of cricket globally, the entire glory is being cornered by Men\u2019s cricket and the Women\u2019s cricket has been relegated to invisible space. In the cricket crazy nation like India Men\u2019s cricket is being perceived to be<\/p>\n shaping Indian Nationalism, and its players are recognized as national heroes. As women cricket is marginalized, space for female heroines is reduced. It has been proposed that for increasing the visibility of women\u2019s cricket, it may be necessary to adopt positive affirmative measures and<\/p>\n structured programmes including adoption of legislative measures. Despite advanced legal systems and strong feminist movements in England and Australia, equality even in basic perks like per diem is not being achieved.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 1.9 <\/span><\/span><\/b>Why are there so less women cricketers in India although India although India is a cricket crazy country?<\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>conservative attitudes about women\u2019s mobility, safety, dress codes and \u201cappropriate\u201d careers restrict practice time, travel for tournaments and long-term commitment. federations and state associations have generally allocated more resources, fixtures and coaching to men\u2019s programs. less televised matches and shallow storytelling around women\u2019s cricket reduced public awareness, commercial interest and sponsorship.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Why women\u2019s cricket is not growing in India?<\/b><\/p>\n There is not much money involved in women\u2019s cricket One classic example that I witnessed was during the ICC World T20 where in the Men’s teams would travel Business class but the Women’s team had to be content with economy. Even the Indian mentality plays a major role and till recently the parents were apprehensive about their female wards taking up Cricket full time. Thanks to the likes of Mitali Raj & Co, the mentality is changing.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b>Conclusion:<\/b><\/p>\n As women\u2019s cricket has less fan base around the world, the investors refrain from investing heavy amounts of money on the players and tournaments. \u00a0<\/span>A shocking fact is that the BCCI only took over women\u2019s cricket in 2006 nearly 80 years after men\u2019s cricket began at the international level in India. Finding a proper coach or an academy becomes the next hurdle. Women\u2019s gets less opportunity as compare to men\u2019s cricket.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>4.\u00a0 <\/span>References:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>1\u00a0 <\/span>Issues Faced By Women Cricketers In India.<\/span><\/strong> (2022, August 24). Anglar Sports<\/span><\/em>. https:\/\/www.anglarsports.com\/issues-faced-by-women-cricketers-in-india<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>2 Why so few girls play cricket in India \u2014 A data-driven look at opportunity and trust.<\/span><\/strong> (n.d.). C11CL<\/span><\/em>. https:\/\/c11cl.com\/why-so-few-girls-play-cricket-in-india-a-data-driven-look-at-opportunity-and-trust\/<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>3 Upendran, A. (2013, February 12). The problem with women\u2019s cricket in India<\/span><\/em>. ESPNcricinfo. https:\/\/www.espncricinfo.com\/story\/ananya-upendran-the-problem-with-women-s-cricket-in-india-604617<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>4 D\u2019Cunha, Z. (2021, July 3). It\u2019s not about money, it\u2019s about will: Why women\u2019s cricket in India is lagging behind<\/span><\/em>. Scroll.in<\/span><\/em>. https:\/\/scroll.in\/field\/999170\/its-not-about-money-its-about-will-why-womens-cricket-in-india-is-lagging-behind<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>5 Reddy, D. (2017, June 28). Why is women\u2019s cricket not gaining popularity in India?<\/span><\/em> The Hans India<\/span><\/em>. https:\/\/www.thehansindia.com\/posts\/index\/Big-Story\/2017-06-28\/Why-is-Womens-Cricket-not-gaining-popularity-in-India\/309103<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>6 Dwivedi, V., Kaushik, A., Chauhan, N., Rishikesh, & Kumar, P.<\/span><\/strong> (2026). Analysis of inequality in opportunities, facilities and support among male and female cricketers of India<\/span><\/em>. International Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health, 13<\/span><\/em>(1), 137\u2013142. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.22271\/kheljournal.2026.v13.i1c.4198<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>7 Team Female Cricket. (2025, March 22). The hidden battles: Why Indian women\u2019s cricket faces tougher challenges<\/span><\/em>. FemaleCricket.com<\/span><\/em>. https:\/\/femalecricket.com\/women-cricket-news\/64486-the-hidden-battles-why-indian-womens-cricket-faces-tougher-challenges.html<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>8 Sardana, M. M. K. (2023). Economic potential of women cricket waiting to be exploited<\/span><\/em> (Discussion Note No. DN1402). Institute for Studies in Industrial Development. https:\/\/isid.org.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/DN1402.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>9 Why are there so less women cricketers in India although India is a cricket crazy country<\/span><\/strong>. (n.d.). Quora<\/span><\/em>. https:\/\/www.quora.com\/Why-are-there-so-less-women-cricketers-in-India-although-India-is-a-cricket-crazy-country<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>10 Why are there so less women cricketers in India although India is a cricket crazy country<\/span><\/strong>. (n.d.). Quora<\/span><\/em>. https:\/\/www.quora.com\/Why-are-there-so-less-women-cricketers-in-India-although-India-is-a-cricket-crazy-country<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Title: Why women\u2019s cricket not growing in India. Author: Aniket Prakash Magar 1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Introduction: Cricket is regarded as the God of all games in India. Cricketers gain massive attention from media, agencies, sponsors and fans. But here is the catch: this may not be true in the case of women\u2019s cricket across the world. 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