Cricket Crores Conundrum!

This is not Schadenfreude, or as they say in Indian National English, a ghoulish epicaricacy. Just a question of why and why not?!

The Great Indian Debacle (Men’s) at the recently concluded (and over long before for us) Men’s T20 World Cup, as disheartening as it has been, should stir up the question- how, why and why even now? Allocation of resources, be it monetary, or the non-quantifiable- fan loyalties, deeply vested interests, and plain ol’ goodwill- all stay true to men’s cricket. (Endorsements too, by the way)
And as the first page of my constitution obligates me to be a feminist, and numerous other clauses enforce me to be an equal, it is only imperative for me to see the flip side.

So, zooming out of Dubai and in on Down Under where the Australian commonwealth is being set ablaze by bowlers, batters and everyone in between from across the world, and quite proudly, a lion’s share of that wildfire being bolstered by our Women in blue (currently, varied colours!), is a sight to delight! But, hardly do their exploits make it off internet niches onto common sources, and even when they do- it’s a 5cm black and white square, minus the charismatic countenances of cricketing Amazons (India-zons, if I graciously may say).

After literarily beating around the bush, I welcome the people of the world to our feature today,
The Cricket-Crores-Conundrum!

From a gentleman’s game, to Claire Connor leading MCC (contrary to popular belief, the M here stands for Marylebone) to a certain pervasive fintech expanding its cricket squad and bringing on-board a true Queen Captain, women’s cricket has come a very, very, very long way, but despite equality being an Indian fundamental right, even a basic human right for that matter, we are way off target.

A few blunt statements:
The highest bracket salary (men’s): 7 crores.
For women: 50 lakh

7 crores. 7 CRORES. That is a whole lot of ducks in there!
And 50 lakh? Well, for reference, compared to their scorecards and records, it’s a silly point.

Without going too much in the past, despite it being a glorious one, with the likes of Jhulan Goswami becoming the highest ODI wicket-taker and still going mind-bogglingly strong, or Mithali Raj smashing the run records across formats, or Shafali Verma shooting down the age debate, power debate and many more mindless debates, or Sneh Rana-Taniya Bhatia shattering a 9th wicket partnership, or Rajeshwari Gayakwad spinning batters’ heads, the Great Indian Show in the Australia test (only their second after 6 years) or the spectacular run at the pre-covid T20 World Cup bonanza.

So staying here and now, the Women’s Big Bash League is being what real T20 is and so much more- 8 impeccable teams with talents polished and raw, epic crossovers, deadly team-ups and pure grit.
Harmanpreet Kaur is busy displaying what SARVAGUNN SAMPANN actually means- scrumptuous sixes, mighty wickets, flawless fielding- while also donning the Golden cap. Legends and neighbours Sophie Devine-Beth Mooney are busy scorching Perth and elsewhere alike, Tahlia McGrath continues to be a revelation since the India-Aussie test, Radha Yadav is stirring up a storm with her derailing deliveries, and I am trying to get over the realisation of the whopping number of all-rounders in women’s cricket! (There’s a reason part of our movement claims to be able to do anything. And everything.)

Our women in blue playing overseas, with friends and friendly foes, are showcasing what cricket looks like, but back home, most are failing to see- fogged by deep entrenched illogical biases, fueled by the equally stupid apathy by media and cricket councils alike.
It’s just phenomenal. The pace of each match and the tournament itself! There are consecutive days of play, often the same teams doing the rounds, so much to follow up on, so much happening, the rank table flipping everyday, it’s surreal! A big plus this time has been- WBBL being aired on TV! Times have surely changed which gives me equal parts hope and happiness, while also reminding of the extensive ground yet to be covered.

For example,
Do not say Smriti Mandhana’s style resembles Jadeja, if you won’t call Kohli’s captain’s knock equivalent to Mithali Raj’s Aussie ODI outing.
Don’t bring in Alyssa Healy’s husband to talk about some “residues of firewood” series to fill up the paucity of statistical knowledge about women’s matches.
Don’t fill up awkward silences in women’s matches with random cricketing facts about the opposite sex, when the men’s matches won’t be peppered up in the same way.
Don’t liken Jhulan Goswami-Vastrakar-Meghna pace attack with the men’s squad because you won’t remember this trio when Bumrah-Shami-Sharma are the starting line-up.
Don’t ask Jemimah her favourite men’s cricketer because the men in blue are never expected to answer or entertain any such queries about their counterparts.
Tell me the distance that six travelled after greeting Harmanpreet Kaur’s able arms, or the length played by Poonam Yadav with the highest wicket probability over the years, or just the physics of Shikha Pandey’s swing.
Just like Pandya’s batting is broken down to analyse his missteps against slower deliveries, figure out Shafali Verma’s misfire too- what type of bowling attack does she flounder against and how is this BBL season treating her.
The glaring difference between statistics of women’s and men’s cricket, even when it’s the exact same sport being played with the exact same rules, is as frightening as it is unjustified. Would love to see the red, green and yellow of Hayward’s bowling.

It’s one big vicious cycle. Cricket councils explain the paltry investments on the lack of crowds. Last time I checked, any start-up generated revenue only after a decent amount of seed-money, i.e., it’s a two way process, a gold to more gold transaction, not a potatoes to gold. Till telepathy becomes a thing, megaphones, couloured posters and tacky ads remain the crowd information sources. People will come to see them play if at all they knew something of this sort was happening, why it was important and why it’s historic.
It’s not unbelievable or impossible. There are examples everywhere- the clearest being Tennis- one of the few sports that award equal prize money, and it shows!
A less ideal example? Football. (the ‘Mericas reserve this name for distorted rugby, while naming this one after some demented pronunciation of an unidentified flying object). The United States Women’s National Team is the most successful team across all formats, and recently triumphed in a pay gap lawsuit (that they were in, for reasons beyond comprehension, winners of 4 FIFA World Cups!), and are known to fill up their stadiums to the brim! Fans will always turn up if they know they matter. Google photos of 2015 and ’19 world cup, and just see the atmosphere- one would give anything to be able to play in a heaven like that! Backing you up, cheering for you and believing in you. And do away with stupid notions of women’s games being less fun. I can’t comprehend that some people actually believe this, so I can’t counteract, other than telling them to watch a match. Honestly, everything is uphill from golf.

While the men’s team has their next 2 years planned, women often don’t know what they’re up against till a few months to go. One month training camp for taking on 5 time consecutive T20 World champs seems unfair and should not be justified just because their grit and talent overcome it all to give a magical cricketing display.
Two times world cup winners in 46 years versus Twice runners-up in as many years with 1/20th the resources, not corrected for inflation or the greater wage gap previously. Maybe closing the gap would enable them to close in from 2nd place to 1st? Better equipment, better fixtures and exposure, better fields, peace of mind, self sufficiency, pride and respect, self-worth, the eyes, trust and backing of an entire nation.
Well, that’s not a gap, it’s a gorge.

Also, for the number of women in blue that have absolutely shattered all boundaries, faced and smashed some big red tape googly attacks, and carried the bat through storms they weren’t supposed to, there is yet to be a “Diana Edulji Stadium.” Hopefully, in my lifetime.

The point? Grow up and close the gorge.

P.S. Wrote this rant in the initial days of WBBL. By the end of it, let me just say, the India-zons did one, actually, one million better. Mandhana put up the HIGHEST EVER INDIVIDUAL SCORE IN THE HISTORY OF WBBL, while Harmanpreet Kaur BECAME THE FIRST INDIAN TO BE CROWNED PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT.

Proud.