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From Re-Stitched Jerseys To World Cup Dream: India Women Inspire The Next Generation Stars

Poulomi Chakraborty

The Inspiring Revelution Of The India Women's Team (Source: @M_Raj03/x.com, @ImTanujSingh/x.com)The Inspiring Revelution Of The India Women's Team (Source: @M_Raj03/x.com, @ImTanujSingh/x.com)

In a country like India, cricket is a religion, and cricketers are being treated as God; the saying can’t be more perfect. But does the term ‘cricketer’ apply only to men? While this sparks debate, the reality is clear: the early struggles of India’s women’s team highlight the stark and bizarre disparity in recognition and respect.

Thousands of kids in India dream of batting like Virat Kohli or bowling like Jasprit Bumrah, but how often do we wonder why the girl next door can’t emulate Mithali Raj or Jhulan Goswami? The answer we may find is the lack of future scope.

A journey that started from re-stitched jerseys turned out to be a tag called ‘World Cup Contenders’. Rising from humble beginnings, women’s cricket in India has sparked a movement, inspiring a new generation of Smriti Mandhana, Jhulan Goswami, and Jemimah Rodrigues.

What’s Extra For One Becomes Power For Another

Between a group of people, if we ask he question whose jersey number is 18? Without wasting a minute, a cheer will erupt with ‘King Kohli’!!! Well, it’s not wrong. But like every coin, it also has a different side. Smriti Mandhana also wears the jersey number 18. It’s a reflection of society, and the current generation can hardly be blamed, as the tradition of borrowing legacies started long ago.

As the game of cricket was introduced to the Indian subcontinent back in the early 1700s, Women’s cricket made its way in 1973. From the very start, the women’s game battled poor infrastructure, scarce funding, and, most importantly, the struggle for recognition.

Apart from cricketing gear, the most respected thing in any cricketer’s career is their jersey. But what if that jersey wasn’t truly yours, just a re-stitched hand-me-down? That was the reality for India’s women cricketers in the 1980s and 1990s, when men’s jerseys were cut and altered to fit them, as former BCCI administrator Vinod Rai revealed. Even before the on-field, their struggle began with their own existence long ago.

The Year 2005 Sees India Women Rewrite Their Story

Even without limited opportunities, India's Women’s side didn’t let their morale down. Participating in the World Cup, touring other nations, they sparked the hope of success even within a sea of disappointment. The real shift came with the launch of the Women’s Asia Cup in the ODI format, where India clashed with Sri Lanka in the inaugural edition. With an unbeaten run, they lifted the trophy, marking a defining turning point in their journey.

Continuing their dream run, they lifted the trophy in 2005–06, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2022. In 2005, a revolution occurred on the side after Nike was signed as their kit sponsor. From the era of the re-stitched jerseys, they proudly donned Indian tricolors having their own name on their back.

2017 – The Year That Redefined India Women’s Cricket

As the previous years shaped the Indian Women’s side with some revolutions, the team turned the global stage into the battleground of the biggest revolution on the big stage of the Women’s World Cup. Marching past the group stage and quarterfinals, they stormed into the semifinals with glory in sight. But the biggest twist of their journey was yet to unfold.

Before the semifinal against Australia, Indian fans used to treat the side as the cherry on the top until Harmanpreet Kaur proved the abilities of women in India as she smashed an outstanding unbeaten knock of 171 runs, which pushed India to the finals against the India Women.

Even though the final match turned out to be a heartbreaker, the superstars proved their dominance. Jhulan Goswami’s fiery spell and Punam Raut’s gritty 86 didn’t just win hearts; they announced India Women’s dominance to the world.

From Fighting For Recognition To World Cup Contenders, India Women Rose Beyond Every Bounce

From no recognition, lack of infrastructure, and thousands of other obstacles, India Women faced some deadly bouncers but also made sure they landed the perfect balls out of the park. From gold at the Asian Games to silver at the Commonwealth Games, these trailblazers have not just played cricket, they’ve carried a nation’s pride on their shoulders.

Earlier this year, they registered their first-ever T20I series win on English soil. In 2024, they registered the highest-ever Test total against the South Africa women. Yet, amidst these milestones, one dream has remained untouched for 47 long years, a dream that now feels closer than ever to turning into reality.

After a group stage exit in the last edition, the Women’s Cricket World Cup is taking place in India and Sri Lanka. With a powerful squad and red-hot form, they enter as serious title contenders. And if they thrive in familiar conditions, they might just heal the scars of the 2023 Men’s World Cup heartbreak that still lingers among fans.

Young Jhulans, Smritis, And Deeptis Ready To Script Glory

Even just a decade ago, the picture was different in India, as the parents were unsure about their girls’ future as cricketers. But against all odds, the Indian Women’s team proved that pure dreams backed by hard work and talent can conquer any barrier. With crucial support from the BCCI and ICC, the journey transformed from doubt to belief, inspiring a new generation to chase the game fearlessly.

With BCCI introducing equal pay and ICC setting a record prize pool, surpassing even the 2023 Men’s World Cup. As perspectives shift, the girl next door is no longer just a dreamer; she could be India’s next World Cup winner.