'This is a very big opportunity,' says Sushma Verma

Many believe that the Women’s Premier League (WPL) will bring about the much-needed change in women’s cricket as it prepares to take center stage. When the Indian Premier League debuted in 2008 and quickly rose to become the largest franchise-based league in sports, the BCCI did the same for men’s cricket.

Five franchises will compete in the WPL’s debut season, which kicks off on March 4, and they have already put together star-studded lineups to win the prized trophy at the first attempt.

Sushma Verma, a right-handed batter, and India wicketkeeper generated intense bidding when Gujarat Giants (GG) selected her for Rs 60 lakh during the inaugural Women’s Premier League auction.

The 30-year-old has so far competed in 19 T20 Internationals and 43 ODIs, but when she wasn’t selected in the first round of the WPL Auction, she began to make calculations. Eventually, Gujarat Giants selected her in the second round.

The Shimla-born wicketkeeper batter said she is grateful to have been chosen by a team like Gujarat, which has a nice balance of experienced and up-and-coming players.

Question: How excited are you for the Women’s Premier League to start as the long wait for women’s cricketers is finally over?

In an exclusive interview with India Sports News, she said, “I am very excited for the Women’s Premier League’s first season. After a long wait, the moment everyone was waiting for is finally here. There have been lots of talks going on about this for a very long time, and finally the season is here. We are here and looking forward to how we go forward this season.”

Question: When the auction of the Women’s Premier League was happening, what was your initial reaction when you came to know that you have been picked by the Gujarat Giants team?

“When the auction was going on and I was unsold after the first round, there was an up and down going on in my mind. But I was numb after making it to the second round and seeing wicketkeepers compete for the slots, and then when my chance came, the Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans began to bid. I saw the highlights of the auction because I couldn’t process things at that moment,” she said.

“At the same time, I was grateful because this is a very big opportunity for me personally. After being dropped from Team India, this is a huge opportunity for me to make a comeback, and I’ve been doing well in the domestics as well, so now is the time for me to perform well here and earn a spot on the Indian team,” she added.

Question: How do you see the recent performance of the Indian team from yesterday’s game in the World Cup? What do you think are the reasons why India is unable to cross that last hurdle?

“I don’t believe this has anything to do with pressure. If you see the last game (against Australia), we saw an unfortunate run-out, and the way, we were playing in the middle phase, I thought we would win the game with one over to spare. It is just bad luck because 70–80% of the match was in our hands, and from there on the momentum changed,” she said.

“This gap will be filled through the Women’s Premier League, as we will get more chances to play with overseas players as a unit. We will get to learn a lot more, and when we apply this in the Indian setup, it will be very useful. That gap will surely be closed in the next two to three seasons,” she added.

Question: As Richa Ghosh is performing quite well now as a wicket-keeper in the Indian team by doing good hitting in the lower order, how do you see her performance and what will you like to do in your game so that you can make a comeback once again in the Indian team?

“Richa is doing well, and for this slot, the Indian team had a hard time finding a player to fit in for a long time. Richa is playing the finisher role very well, and I hope she continues to do well.”

“When it comes to making a comeback in the Indian team, it’s not just about what I’m doing now; there’s been a lot of hard work put in over the last four to five years. I am also working on my power-hitting skills and fitness to match up with the requirements of the Indian setup. Yes, I have my own certain ways of working with my own people, with my coach and trainers, and I have been waiting to get a platform to perform, and the platform is here. I am well aware of my role, and I only intend to perform better,” she said.

Question: Have you made any specific changes to your routine specifically for your wicket-keeping or any batting drills which you are now doing?

“I have made lots of changes over the years. I have been getting input from overseas players. I am keeping a very close eye on that as well. I have worked on a lot of things, and now is the time to get a good start and a good go.”

Sushma Verma believes Gujarat Giants have put together the proper squad to lead the team in the right way, which will also benefit the Indian women’s team in the future.

Question: How has been your preparations going on in the camp and what are the training you are doing in your camp for the Gujarat Giants?

“We have just assembled. This is day one of camp for us. Today, we just had simple screening and testing. So, I think from tomorrow onwards we will have practice sessions. Our full team haven’t even assembled yet. Some of the Australian and Indian players will come and unite. So after that, we will have proper practice sessions as a team and I’m looking forward to it that how we gel as a unit and as a team and do well,” she concluded.

Put your seatbelts on. The WPL is approaching, so mark your calendars and get ready for a wild journey. It appears to be here to stay as well.