New Delhi: Former India women’s team captain Anjum Chopra firmly believes that the BCCI has a plan for women’s cricket but she wants the Board to communicate its ideas more specifically. Speaking to PTI, Chopra, who is now a successful broadcaster, said the BCCI is thinking in earnest about the progress of women’s cricket.
“It’s not that the BCCI is not thinking about women’s cricket. I only think they need to be more specific in communication about women’s cricket,” Chopra said. “I firmly believe that they must be thinking about women’s cricket but the communication all this while has been very specific to men’s cricket.”
The newest set off for criticism of BCCI was India’s withdrawal from a tour of England in September owing to logistical points arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic situation. Chopra conceded it was ‘not nice’ however Indian players’ participation within the women’s IPL, in November, will nonetheless be helpful preparation for subsequent 2021 ODI World Cup.
“It is heartening to see women’s cricket making headlines. They should have been a part of that England tour and it did not feel nice initially but the women’s IPL, irrespective of the format, will be helpful for World Cup preparations. Any form of cricket is good preparation,” Chopra said.
“Missing out on a tournament is not nice, but logistically there may have been issues. And you can’t send an under-prepared team,” she said. “If you see in isolation we may have missed out on an opportunity to play in England. The more the girls play the better it is before playing a tournament of the stature of the World Cup. The assurance from the president is a very good thing.”
Chopra welcomed the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI’s decision to hold the women’s event in the UAE alongside the IPL, which will run from September 19 to November 10. “I am definitely happy, it’s always nice to be part of any cricket anywhere across the world. They should have been nearing the final stages of the preparation for the World Cup by now, but because of the pandemic things did not go as planned,” she added.
