Women's cricket in Goa is on the ascent. Last year thewomen's team qualified for the Super League and created history, since then theGoan women cricketers have become a very confident bunch. And rightly so, ascoach Purnima Rau says performance is the key word now in women's cricket as ithas become a lot more competitive.
Former India captain and ex-selector Purnima Rau has been aninspiration, according to Goa skipper, Salma Divkar. "We have learnt somuch under coach Purnima. She is the best thing to have happened to Goancricket. We are physically fitter and technically much better now than in thepast, our mental strength has improved and that makes us much moreconfident," added Salma.
Women's cricket has come a long way especially after theBCCI took women's cricket affairs under its umbrella and so did the state levelcricket associations. The facilities are same as those available to the men'steams, making the girls feel they are on even keel in Goa.
Last year, coach Purnima transformed the fortunes of thestate women team when Goa won its maiden qualification to the Super League. Andhopes of a repeat, are high. "It's now not about the exposure and opportunity, now it isperformance-based, Goan women cricket has become a little more competitive fromwhat it was last year," says the coach, who played for India from1993-2000 and captained the country in three Test matches and eight ODIs.
"What is satisfying for me as a coach is that, theyhave improved in each department , and they seem to be improving theirstandards. They have set themselves some standard and goals and are trying toget that. They are now focussed on cricket, which I am quite happy about,"explained Purnima.
On the selection of the squad, Purnima says:" Thesenior squad basically picks itself, as we have a smaller pool compared to theunder-19 and under-16s. We have a larger pool in the under-16, which is goodnews for the future of Goa cricket, and its fairly large in under-19 category.When it comes to the seniors, it's more about experienced players.
