Naman Suri in Mumbai
Ahead of the third season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), Mumbai Indians coach Charlotte Edwards praised the tournament’s impact on Indian cricket, stating that women’s game in the country is on the cusp of something exciting.
“Someone who is new to Indian cricket, to see the difference from year one to year three now—the calibre of players, as she (Jhulan Goswami) said, the impact it’s having on domestic cricket, and the quality that’s come through in the trials recently—if I compare that to year one, it’s on a different level and hugely exciting for Indian cricket,” Edwards said while addressing a press conference in Mumbai.
The former England captain further pointed out that amazing talent has been emerging year after year, as seen in the recent U-19 World Cup. “It’s a very exciting time for India—a bit scary for England—but very good,” she exclaimed.
Recently, India successfully defended its Women’s U-19 World Cup title in Malaysia, defeating South Africa by nine wickets in the final. Meanwhile, England’s senior women’s team was recently handed a 16-0 whitewash in the Ashes.
Wicketkeeper Gunalan Kamalini, the tournament’s third-highest run-scorer, has emerged as a rising star. The 16-year-old from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, was snapped up by MI for an impressive ₹1.6 crore and is expected to play second fiddle to international stalwart, Yastika Bhatia.
“Yastika has been doing well for us, while Kamalini, who is new, performed well for the U-19 team. Our support staff will help polish her, and it’s difficult to replace someone like Yastika,” captain Harmanpreet Kaur said.
While praising the young talent coming through the ranks, Harmanpreet acknowledged that their emergence has given her a selection headache. “But we have a few days where we are going to play some practice matches, and only then can we make a decision,” she added.
However, Harmanpreet believes that even a single ball—one opportunity—can change things for a player, just as it did for her and for Sajana Sajeevan in her first WPL game. The Indian captain also emphasised that this season’s WPL will be crucial for India’s preparations for the upcoming home ODI World Cup.
As Edwards highlighted, MI will continue to play an aggressive brand of cricket across all three departments, with fearlessness and clarity in their approach.
“Every player that comes into MI hopefully knows what’s expected of them. But equally important is that aggressive approach, which we want to maintain when we bat, bowl, or field—that’s something we’ve tried to instill in most of the players,” said Edwards. “At the same time, we want them to have clarity about their strengths. We just want every player to be fearless and, most of all, to have fun.”
The team has been preparing for the new season with nearly a week of training in Navi Mumbai, mainly involving the Indian players available. Pooja Vastrakar’s injury remains a concern, and the team continues to monitor her condition.
The third edition of the WPL will commence on February 14, with MI opening its campaign against Delhi Capitals the following day.