Diana Edulji has become the first Indian woman inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. Karunya Keshav pays tribute to a pioneer both on and off the field.
When Diana Edulji’s left-arm spin had New Zealand’s Jackie Clark bowled in India’s 1985 women’s Test in Cuttack, she was celebrated as the first woman to reach 100 Test wickets.
However, she later told reporters that she was more satisfied with her 78th wicket taken against Australia the previous year. In doing so, she surpassed Mary Duggan’s record as the top female wicket-taker in Test cricket.
“The first record is always better,” she said without a hint of false humility. “She also had to struggle for 16 overs before picking up her 78th wicket.”
This was a woman who lived for the thrill of competition and knew her worth.
There is nothing Dickensian about Edulji’s origin story. The daughter of a railway employee, she grew up playing tennis ball cricket with boys in a well-respected part of Mumbai, and was introduced to chocolate and chocolate by her involvement in the leather ball game with Alby’s, one of India’s first women’s cricket clubs. Got praise. p>
But like the boy in the Victorian fairy tale who lifted his bowl and said, “Sir, I want more,” Edulji was a rebel who challenged the status quo. She knew when she deserved better and she asked for it. She loved winning. She has created her own space and conquered her new space. she exclaimed. She stood her ground. She did it with the tenacity of a pugilist and the conviction of a trade unionist, as BCCI officials later praised her.
Edulji, who will become the first Indian to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2023, will pay tribute to her pioneering role in Indian women’s cricket. Her contributions over more than 50 years as a player, administrator and coach have enabled the sport to continue striving for further improvement.
For example, in the winter of 1976, she submitted a job application to the Minister of Railways, where she was taking an exam. She was recruited and became the first female cricketer to be employed by the Railways.
Eight years later, she helped pave the way for more women to be employed. Currently, the railways is the largest employer of female cricketers in the country. A national powerhouse, this team attracts the best players and offers valuable financial security while pursuing their passion for cricket.
In 1978, in India’s first World Cup, the Indian team refused to play against Australia until the authorities cleared their dues. Over the next few years, she was at the forefront, including as secretary-general of the Indian Women’s Cricket Players Association, which was “founded by the players themselves to protect and promote the game they love.” She said there is. .
She paid a price for her generosity as captain, but she welcomed it with even more generosity. “If I hadn’t read the press release the day before the game, I might have gone and pitched against Chepauk and caused everyone a lot of trouble,” she said in Sportsworld‘s 1981 With Young England I wrote this in the match report for the 2018 series. >.
“Women’s cricket is treated badly by everyone,” she once declared, blaming the authorities for a lack of accountability. Thirty years later, she made amends when she got the chance to be her manager. A former female cricketer received a lump sum (this request had been pending for her five years), women’s pensions were improved, and the women’s team received improved travel and living conditions.
However, even in government, Edulji did not completely abandon his tendency to skirmish. Her tenure as a member of the Board of Control set up by the Supreme Court of India to clean up cricket was eventful.
Even when then BCCI CEO Rahul Johri was acquitted of sexual harassment charges, she remained adamant that he was unfit for the job. She argued for a suspension when members of the men’s team were embroiled in controversy for making sexist and racist comments on a TV show. She clashed with her CoA colleagues and her BCCI officials over these and several other issues.
The newspaper, citing “sources,” called her “difficult” and reported that her co-workers “pulled their hair out” in response to her demands. Loud women claiming a seat at the table in a room full of men are familiar with such language. The call to be compensated for Edulji’s time was portrayed as a money grab (though her outspokenness was more likely than not a hypocritical power grab that characterizes many “volunteer” positions in sports). (Maybe it was a sign of sincerity.) A fair assessment of her accomplishments as an administrator is disrupted by such sexist attitudes.
Now, many years later, her accomplishments as a player are also marked with an asterisk. Her 100 Test wickets that she once celebrated have now been reduced.
The Hall of Fame honored her 109 wickets in a total of 54 Tests and ODIs. Due to differing views on women’s records, the women’s official figures no longer reflect performance in competitions, which at the time were considered “international tests” but no longer have that status. For example, her statistics do not include her 33 wickets in India’s first two international series or this young series against England.
In the first match against the Australians in Pune, which subsequently became India’s first Test match, Edulji led the bowling in the first innings with six hits for 40 and then top-scored with 48 runs. was recorded. In the second match against Australia, Edulji and Shanta Rangaswamy needed 121 to win in Delhi, but bowled all but seven overs, bringing India within one wicket of a crucial victory. Less than a year later, she achieved her first 10-wicket win against her visiting New Zealand team.
Achievements like these have given Indian cricket a platform for growth and given generations of players a standard to aspire to. Talking to the ‘Diana girls’ on the circuit, the many cricketers who were discovered, coached and encouraged by Carrot and Stick, Edulji’s achievements are clear. Her high-pitched voice only emphasizes her admiration as a pioneer and all-time great. Fifty years later, her voice still resonates strongly.
