The fastest woman bowler in the world talks about her double treat.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

100 wickets is a great honour: Jhulan

It was a double treat for the fastest woman bowler in the world. Not only did she reach a rare milestone of a 100 career wickets but she played a significant role in India winning the Asia Cup for the fourth consecutive time. We caught up with the seamer after the win and got her reactions about the Indian women’s cricket team, their recent success and the forthcoming tour of England.

Your team has just won the Women’s Asia Cup… How are you feeling?
It is a great feeling to have won the Asia Cup. We had won it three times consecutively and this was the fourth, so we maintained our standards and it is a great honour.

You bowled very well throughout the tournament. You must be happy with your own performance?
Yeah, I am very happy but I can bowl much better. I am overjoyed that I reached the 100-wicket milestone. It was a very special moment for me.

You are only the third women in history and only the second Indian woman to take 100 wickets; how did that feel?
Well, it is a great honour for me to take 100 wickets. Day by day, I am working harder to improve my game. I have to keep moving ahead and this is just the first milestone that I have achieved, I have to keep going ahead. I am enjoying my bowling and every moment of my cricket career.

Before you went out to play that game when you got a 100 wickets, did someone tell you that you were going to reach that milestone? Was it on your mind?
Yeah, my teammates and my coach told me that I was touching the 100-wicket mark, so I was quite excited at the time and nervous as well. Once I got it, I was just laughing and jumping as it was my first milestone. I am very happy.

You have really improved and grown as a bowler… In the first three years of your career you took just 38 wickets but in last 3 years you have taken 62 wickets. Are you at your peak right now? What do you have to say about how you have grown as a bowler?
When I started my cricket career, I was very young. I did not know how international cricket is played, how much of pressure there is to handle. But right now, after playing against Australia, New Zealand, England and other teams in the world, I knew my standards. I am working hard on my bowling and concentrating on my line and length. Side-by-side I want to keep my fitness levels the same.

Did you enjoy the conditions in Sri Lanka? Were the wickets helpful for the seamers?
No the wickets were not very helpful to the seamers. As usual it was a slow wicket, typical of the sub-continent, there was no bounce, and it was quite flat. On those kind of wickets you have to bowl wicket-to-wicket and pick them up. The spinners got a lot of help with some turn.

You are one of the senior members of the side now. You are also the vice-captain of the Indian team and there are a lot of young players who look to you for advice and to learn new things. Do you enjoy that role as senior member?
Definitely! I am enjoying this role and it is quite challenging to teach them good things and not bad ones. It is good to play with youngsters so they can learn from us and we can learn from them. The learning process always remains open. Basically, all the girls are enjoying this phase. It is a good thing for Indian women’s cricket that the juniors are also taking responsibility along with the seniors.

Snehal Pradhan is one of the young seamers who made her debut. She looks up to you and calls you her idol. What do you have to say about her performance, were you impressed with her?
She is brilliant and has a very bright future. I hope she continues and maintains her fitness levels as that is very important in cricket and hopefully she will maintain the expected standards.

Looking ahead, you have the tour of England coming up… You said that the wickets did not help you in Sri Lanka but you must be looking forward to playing in England?
Yeah, definitely. In England, the ball seams around a bit and the weather also helps medium pacers. It is brilliant to bowl in those conditions. England is a good side and they are playing well right now, so it is more challenging for me to do well against a good team. I am looking forward to it!