From sleeping in dormitories without attached toilets and pooling funds for travel, to playing in front of roaring crowds and chasing a World Cup title — Indian women’s cricket has come a long way. As Harmanpreet Kaur’s team prepares to face South Africa in the Women’s World Cup final at DY Patil Stadium on Sunday, pioneers Shantha Rangaswamy and Nutan Gavaskar reflected on the sport’s extraordinary journey from obscurity to glory.
A journey born out of passion, not pay
In the 1970s and 1980s, women cricketers in India played purely for love of the game. There was no sponsorship, no match fees, and little institutional support. “There was no money, no sponsors, and foreign tours were an ordeal. But there were women of steel who believed the show must go on,” recalled Nutan Gavaskar, former secretary of the Women’s Cricket Association of India (WCAI), formed in 1973.
Nutan, younger sister of cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar, said women’s cricket was dismissed as a “hobby”, not a profession. “We were told that women’s cricket wasn’t professional. There was no money since we were not considered professionals,” she told PTI.
When survival meant creativity
Raising funds for international tours was often a challenge. Players stayed with NRI families abroad, and actor Mandira Bedi once donated her commercial earnings to help the team afford flight tickets for an England tour. “Air India sometimes sponsored tickets because the players were representing the country,” Nutan added.
Equipment, too, was a luxury. “A team would have just three bats. Two openers had two, and the No. 3 used the third. When an opener got out, the No. 4 would take her bat and pads,” Nutan laughed, recalling the early struggles. Even interstate matches were played with minimal kits — sharing gear became a way of life.
Life on the road
The challenges extended beyond the field. Train journeys often lasted 36 to 48 hours, mostly in general compartments, with players paying their own fares. Accommodation was modest at best. “Attached toilets were a luxury. Often, teams would stay in dormitories with four washrooms for 20 people, and they were rarely clean,” Nutan said. Meals were basic, with “daal served from big plastic vessels” as tournaments ran on shoestring budgets.
For players like Diana Edulji, Shantha Rangaswamy, and Shubhangi Kulkarni, match fees were unheard of. The women cricketers carried their own bedding and gear, often sleeping on the floor after exhausting train rides.
‘We carried our kits like backpacks’
Shantha Rangaswamy, India’s first women’s Test captain, recalled how every match was a test of endurance. “From travelling in unreserved coaches to sleeping in dormitories on the floor, we even had to carry our own bedding. We had our cricket kits on our backs like backpacks and a suitcase in one hand,” she told PTI.
Despite the hardships, the passion never waned. “Those days built character. We learned to adapt and fight,” Rangaswamy said.
A foundation built on grit
For Rangaswamy and Nutan, the current team’s success is the culmination of a five-decade struggle. “We’re so happy that the current lot are getting all the facilities. They deserve it. The foundation we laid back then, some 50 years ago, is bearing fruit now,” Rangaswamy said.
Their efforts paved the way for stars like Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, and now Harmanpreet Kaur, who have transformed women’s cricket into a professional, widely celebrated sport.
The dream continues
As India stands on the brink of history, the pioneers see this as more than just a sporting achievement — it’s the realization of a dream that began in the dusty grounds of the 1970s. “It’s not just about winning the World Cup. It’s about the journey — from struggle to respect,” Nutan said.
From shared bats to modern sponsorships, from cramped dorms to packed stadiums, Indian women’s cricket embodies resilience, perseverance, and pride. Whatever the outcome on Sunday, the journey itself is already a victory.