On cloud nine after Sachin Tendulkar's praise, this girl dreams of playing international cricket
In a recent cricket match in Jaipur, Sushila Meena showcased her skills by clean bowling Rajyavardhan Rathore, Minister of Youth Affairs in the Rajasthan government.
A year ago, Sushila Meena wouldn’t have even dreamt of playing with legendary sportspersons like Sachin Tendulkar and Rajyavardhan Rathore. But sometimes dreams that come true are those you never knew you had.
The 10-year-old budding cricketer shot to fame when Tendulkar shared a video of her bowling action on social media, comparing her to fast-medium bowler Zaheer Khan, who was pivotal to India winning the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.
But her story is much more than just an Instagram post. Sushila's journey from a small village near Pratapgarh, Rajasthan to national fame is a testament to her hard work, determination, and big dreams. And it couldn’t have been possible without the support of her coach, Ishwarlal Meena.
Meena, a dedicated coach at Rajkiya Prathmik Vidyalaya, Pratapgarh, which is his first posting, began teaching cricket in June 2017 when the 2017 ICC Women's World Cup was in full swing. He started training girls as a way to connect them with their school and to enable them to excel in women’s cricket—where competition is less fierce. "If they play cricket, they get connected to the school and come more often," he explains. He is currently training 15 girls.
Over the past decade, women's cricket in India has gained significant popularity, especially after the national team's impressive performance in the 2017 ICC Women's World Cup. Players like Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Smriti Mandhana, and Harmanpreet Kaur have become household names, inspiring a new generation of female cricketers. The launch of the Women's Premier League (WPL) in 2023 further boosted the sport's visibility, and now women cricketers also receive the same pay as their male counterparts, making the sport attractive.
Sushila Meena with her coach
Meena, who learned cricket through YouTube tutorials and social media recalls that Sushila joined his free training programme in the third grade. Initially, Sushila was focused on batting, like most other girls, but she soon took on bowling to broaden her skills.
Under his guidance, Sushila has refined her technique, following the coach’s mantra that bowlers should spin the ball. “Sushila’s bowling became good around 3-4 months ago. I remember last year I thought she wouldn’t be able to bowl, but now she has progressed remarkably," he notes.
In a recent match in Jaipur, she showcased her skills by clean bowling Rajyavardhan Rathore, Minister of Youth Affairs in the Rajasthan government, when he was visiting Rajasthan Sports Association. He praised her talent on X. "We all won after getting clean bowled by the young daughter," he posted.
Sushila hails from a humble background; her father works as a labourer while her mother is a housewife. In Pratapgarh, where many residents migrate to Ahmedabad for work due to poor local economic conditions, opportunities for youth are limited. Despite these challenges, Sushila remains committed to pursuing her passion for cricket.
She recently received a scholarship from the Rajasthan Cricket Association and is set to join the cricket academy in Jaipur. "I am happy about my scholarship; I want to continue playing cricket," Sushila says proudly as she aspires to represent India on the international stage.
It’s not just Sushila who has a claim to fame. One of Meena’s other mentees, Renuka Pargi, too went viral after which she received a scholarship from Naina Cricket Academy in Jaipur. However, he believes that viral videos, while helpful, cannot be the only route to success. “The viral videos help the students whose videos go viral, but there should be provisions for other students as well,” he said, emphasising the need for broader opportunities for rural children in cricket.
Sushila attends school every day till 4 PM and attends cricket practice after. “I want to play for India one day,” she says with determination. Her dream is to break barriers and pave the way for other girls from rural areas to take up sports and excel.
Edited by Kanishk Singh