Latest news with #AnjumChopra
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Stephen's alumni meet was about old bonds, food faves
Prof. Charu Kapoor, class of '91, serving up Bollywood classics – with Amit Dhanda, class of '97, strumming away on the guitar Time blurred as St Stephen's alumni from different decades came together for a nostalgic lunch in Delhi recently. From meeting old friends to connecting with seniors, the afternoon was filled with meaningful conversations, music, and dance. Talking about how she never felt the need to go out during college, Arjuna award-winning cricketer Anjum Chopra recalled the popular Kamla Nagar as 'KNags' and said, "Bahar jaane ki zarurat hi nahi hai – college aa gaye toh bahar jaana hi kyun hai? College itself is an event." Alumni enjoyed an event filled with music and dance 'You get to widen your intellectual horizons in college' You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi | Gold Rates Today in Delhi | Silver Rates Today in Delhi Alumni spoke about the values and opportunities the college gave them. Siddharth Singh Longjam, Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor in the Ministry of Defence, class of 1990, recalled his initial days. "When you sit in the cafe, you tend to overhear, or you are sitting and quietly listening to a lot of colleagues who are experts in speaking. That kind of learning experience is equivalent to reading hundreds of books every day," he shared. Dedicating his success to the college, economist Prasenjit Basu from the class of 1986, said, "You get to widen your intellectual horizons in college to an extent that is almost impossible to replicate anywhere else." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like They were so beautiful before; look at them now; number 10 will shock you Boite A Scoop Undo This is a very special institution that shapes people's character Anjum Chopra, class of '97 Actor Abhinav Chaturvedi (L), class of '87, with economist Prasenjit Basu, (C) class of '86; Arjuna awardee, cricketer Anjum Chopra (R), class of '97 'The proud feeling of being a Stephanian always remains' Whether you graduated in the 70s or are a current Stephenian, you know it's cafe and not a canteen, residence and not a hostel. Anjum, from the class of 1997, said, "The enormity of being a St Stephen's alumna and the proud feeling that we get is going to remain the way it is." Meanwhile, talking about the college cafe's ambience, author Satya Saurabh Khosla, class of 1978, recalled, "There was nothing in Delhi to offer like our cafe had. " George Abraham (L), class of '79, who runs an NGO for the visually impaired; Rahul Jain (C), class of '92, organiser of the Delhi chapter; Siddharth Singh Longjam (R), class of '90, Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor in the Ministry of Defence Commenting on the famous rivalry with Hindu College, Siddharth said, "It was a very healthy competition. They had several plus points. And it's always good to exchange notes and see what the other people are doing. It helps in life." Adding to the conversation, George Abraham – class of 1979 and founder of an NGO for the visually impaired – described the air of superiority often associated with Stephanians as "foolish. " "It's the people you learn from," he said. "If you distance yourself because of this so-called superiority, you're missing out." Remarking on the importance of alumni events, actor Abhinav Chaturvedi, class of 1987, said, "It's important that we give back to the college." Food that Stephenians reminisced about Mince, the famous chicken cutlets Scrambled eggs and toast Bhel puri from across the street Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Krishna Janmashtami Wishes ,, messages , and quotes !
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First Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
India are second favourites in home ODI World Cup, cannot boast of home advantage: Anjum Chopra
With the next edition of the ICC Women's ODI World Cup now around the corner, the conversation in women's international cricket has shifted to which teams can be potential title favourites, along with seven-time champions, Australia. The 2025 edition will be played in India and Sri Lanka, so India of course are being counted in that shortlist of favourites. This is the fourth time India will be hosting the tournament, but they are yet to win it. Could this edition finally end a fifty-two year jinx? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The recent triumph in England, where the women's team won both the T20I and the ODI series, was no doubt a huge shot in the arm, a massive confidence booster ahead of a home World Cup. But there are still areas that need improvement. In a freewheeling exclusive chat with Firstpost, Indian cricket legend and former captain, Anjum Chopra, who played over 150 international matches and scored over 3600 runs, spoke about individual Indian players and what they bring to the table, including current captain Harmanpreet Kaur, what the team needs to do as a collective unit to become stronger, the 'who will be captain after Harman?' debate, the potential title favourites to watch out for in the upcoming women's ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka and more. This is Part 2 of an exclusive interview with Anjum Chopra. Click here to read Part 1 of the exclusive interview with Anjum Chopra. Could you decode for us what some of the individual Indian all-rounders and bowlers bring to the table? Also, what the Indian team needs to focus on, in terms of personnel, the most, in the run-up to the ODI World Cup at home… Anjum: For me, Sneh Rana is a great value-add. She has missed out on international cricket over the last two years. I don't see her as the best fit in T20Is, but because of her bowling skills, she is a great asset. And because we are now heading into an ODI World Cup, I think she (Sneh Rana) is a great value-add to the Indian team. I am glad she has been in the playing XI, because she adds a lot of depth. But we still need fast bowlers because every condition (that the team plays in) will not allow spin to dominate and with five bowlers, you are always living life on the edge. Some day one of them will have a bad day and then the Indian team will not have a fallback option. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nowadays, when targets in ODIs can go up to 300-320, when you are under the pump as a bowling unit, you will need to rely on your sixth bowler and the likes of Pratika (Rawal) and Shafali (Verma) are not (really) sixth bowling options. So, yes, spin will play a very crucial role (in the upcoming Women's ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka). Deepti (Sharma), Charani and Sneh Rana - they walk into an Indian team today. For Radha Yadav, I feel she is a great asset in the field. She is a very good batter as well, very good overall T20 player, but she still needs to improve on her bowling – in both T20Is and ODIs – and that is probably one of the reasons why Shree Charani was drafted in as well. All the visiting teams who come in (for the ODI World Cup) will know that they will have to go after at least one of the spinners. But even if they play one of the spinners carefully, they will attack our fast bowlers. So, India does need a sixth bowling option and that has to be in the form of a seam bowler. Arundhati Reddy was not their first choice and didn't play the first ODI (was brought in for the second ODI and then dropped again for the third), which clearly shows that they are looking at giving a younger bowler a chance. So, whoever comes in will actually have to be an all-rounder and not an out-and-out fast bowler, because otherwise the balance of the team will be disturbed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The sixth bowling option has actually been a massive concern for the team for a while now. Whatever the reason, the Indian team doesn't have that solid back-up option to the five frontline bowlers. And none of the top order bowls, which is another concern. Harmanpreet (Kaur) has stopped bowling – whatever the reasons might be. Harleen has never grown into an all-rounder. That is the reason why Harleen is not a consistent playing XI member, because she doesn't bowl. And whether it's Shafali (Verma) or Pratika (Rawal), they have not really worked on their (bowling) skills. If Jemimah (Rodrigues) doesn't score runs, she will miss out on a playing XI, because then Harleen (Deol) will come in. And then you need another bowler. For Smriti, World Cups have not been her domain yet. She hasn't really performed (in World Cups). I don't want to highlight this point of course, but again, the consistency factor comes in. You need your best players to stand up and perform, when it's (most) needed. Have they stood up? They themselves know the answer. Everyone else also knows the answer. We might choose not to talk about this too much or highlight it, but in their hearts, everybody knows everything. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Anjum Chopra says Deepti Sharma is the biggest match-winner in the Indian women's cricket team. Image: BCCI That definitely happens. Often, we see that when a player enters the quote-unquote 'star' category, even fair criticism stops. There is no critiquing that happens anymore, as such, because the thought process is that if you critically analyse a 'star' player's performance, you are somehow doing something you are not meant to do. The fact that critical analysis is not a form of attack and that it's in fact a way to understand what is going wrong and why is somehow lost on most people. Anjum: 100%. If I am sitting in the opposition dressing room, I know how to get a player out, I know where she will falter. The reason we don't criticise is because – A. we don't know if there is another option. B. We like to create stars, because if there are no stars, people are not following the sport, so we create stars. Sometimes we talk endlessly about certain players, even when they are dropped. Deepti Sharma is the biggest performer in the Indian dressing room, but because she might not fall into the 'glamourous' category, people might not talk about her too much. But just look at Deepti's performance as an all-rounder – she is the biggest star in the (Indian) dressing room. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We don't have a bigger match-winner than her, but no one really talks about her like that. People in the dressing room need to be honest with themselves and the selectors need to be on the same page as well. Let's talk about who the next leader of the Indian team will be after Harmanpreet. Smriti of course has been talked about as the next captain of the Indian women's team, after Harman. Will it be as simple as a passing of the baton from one star player to another? How do you see the change in leadership happening whenever Harman brings the curtain down on her career or decides to step down as captain? Anjum: So, in this present team, obviously, everyone looks at Smriti and the fact that she has been in a captain's position more than anyone else (barring Harmanpreet). The Indian team has to remain in the present first. In the present scenario, anyone who is a regular in the three formats will be looked at (as potential future captains). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Now, there are very few players who are regulars in all three formats. You can count Jemimah Rodrigues as a regular, Deepti Sharma, Harleen Deol is getting there and then there are Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet, of course. There aren't too many players on that list. So, whenever the captaincy shift happens, someone who is a regular in that line-up should be given the baton to carry it forward and it has to be between these 3-4 players, considering they remain the consistent ones (across all three formats) going forward. I have never been a big believer in looking too far ahead. I have never been like that. The reason I have never been like that is because the Indian women's cricket team hasn't evolved as much as the men's cricket team has evolved. We are not World Champions. We don't have the kind of depth (as the men's team) where Shubman (Gill) goes out, Sai Sudharsan comes in, Rishabh (Pant) goes out, (Dhruv) Jurel comes in – the women's team hasn't reached that stage yet. We will take time to get there. For an Australian team to look at someone like Tahlia McGrath (all-rounder and current Australian vice-captain) as a future captain – there is a question mark there too, even though she is a consistent performer, so they have someone like a Beth Mooney (Aussie batter who plays all three formats) as back-up. So, the Indian team has to stay in the present and ensure that the results keep going their way, so that the bench-strength keeps getting better. It has to be a top-down approach. As a unit, they need to be well-oiled. Which is why who is in your support staff becomes extremely crucial. So, the players, they have to be groomed. How much of that is happening is anybody's guess. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I still feel that there are no clear favourites in this Indian line-up to become the next captain, but one of the above has to become, because they are regulars in the Indian team. I think the Indian team will take another 5-7 years at least, from where we are now, before we reach a stage where we try somebody else as a T20I captain and have a separate Test and ODI captain, somebody who is rock-solid in these formats. Anjum Chopra wants captain Harmanpreet Kaur to play more match-winning ODI knocks. Image: BCCI A word on Harman - the all-rounder and the captain. She hasn't bowled regularly in a while and we would all like to see her bowl a bit more, perhaps. I am not sure why she is not bowling, as such. On the recent tour of England, she didn't play the first T20I, but overall, in the other games, she didn't really make a mark with the bat and also didn't bowl at all. In the first ODI, she fell for 17 and then of course she played a fantastic knock in the 3rd ODI, scoring a century. Where does Harman's game stand as of now, according to you? Anjum: So, Harman as captain is a no-brainer. She has to be the captain. For me, personally, from when she (Harmanpreet) walked into the Indian team in 2009, she was a match-winner at that time itself. In fact, she has been a match-winner from the time she walked into an Indian camp or an Indian team. That is why she has been my favourite cricketer from the time I saw her first as an Under-19 player. Sometimes you have a connect with another player and I instantly had that connect with her. And that is still true for me. I feel she has been the biggest match-winner in the country and one of the biggest and best match-winners in world cricket overall. But, over the last few years, whether it's because of injuries, and she is injury-prone, or anything else (she hasn't hit her stride). Now, currently it's the last stretch and as a cricketer, when you walk out to the middle, you have to understand that every match could potentially be your last match at that venue and you have to contribute. She has not been doing justice to the kind of talent that she has - the kind of expectations we have of her as Harmanpreet Kaur, the player. And that is not good for Indian cricket. Despite her non-performance, the Indian team has done well. Harman has to tell herself and understand the fact that her missing out on scoring or not bowling is not helping either her or the team. She has to be fit enough to perform in all departments. She has to bowl, she has to bat and she has to score runs. Whether it's the fitness trainer who is doing it or you are doing it yourself, you have to take care of your body. Now there is no comfort zone, now is the last 20m burst before you cross the finish line and in the last 20m you give it your all, you don't save your energy. The kind of dismissals that I have seen of hers in the last two years or so have been very similar. Now, whether it's because of an injury that she has had to change her style of play or whether her style of play has changed because her concentration span has reduced with age – the older you get, you have to keep switching on and off – it's something that she needs to work on. She can play a match phase by phase and India need that, but she is missing out on that. Yes, she has played good knocks, but the consistency has been missing. I saw the 66 runs that she scored for the Mumbai Indians in the last edition of the WPL (in the final) and it was a match-winning contribution. That is the kind of contribution we need to see from her in 50-over cricket also. You should be fully fit and be able to fire on all cylinders when you are playing for India. I had a brief chat with her recently and I told her – 'this is your last stretch, make sure you finish on a high.' And she also understands that. If Harman and Harleen start bowling a few overs, we are there. In the 2011 men's ODI World Cup, which we won at home, Yuvraj (Singh) bowled (15 wickets in 9 matches), Suresh Raina bowled a few overs (2 overs and took 1 wicket). Why is a player like Harleen underutilising her skills as a bowler? I have seen her from her junior cricket days, she used to be a leg-spinner. Where is that skill now? You can't let a skill just wither away. Bowl a few overs. For Harman also – she needs to introspect, talk to herself. She has to understand how crucial a member of the Indian team she is and because she is the captain, things will be expected of her. Shubman Gill knows things are expected of him. To make 400 plus runs in one Test match – that is a testament to not only your skill, but also your fitness. The concentration levels of course will be different, because Harman is older, but because you are an Indian captain, you have to take a step back and understand how you can contribute and how you will be able to get through those 100 or 40 overs. That is your own homework. Indian women's cricket team are heavily reliant on spinners. Image: BCCI Now, when it comes to cricket, one thing that has historically been talked about a fair bit ahead of any big tournament is home conditions. Whether those conditions actually help the home team when they are up against the best in the world etc. is a different conversation. But, going by the fact that the next edition of the women's ODI World Cup will be played in India (and Sri Lanka) and that the tournament will be played in the round-robin format, where would you put the Indian team in the pecking order of title favourites? Anjum: India, I think will be second favourites, simply because Australia (7-time champions) will be the team to beat. Also, for the fans, India will be the number one favourites. But India is also one country which cannot boast of home advantage anymore, whether it's in the men's game or the women's game, because everyone comes here and plays so much cricket throughout the year. Also, in the women's game, the nature of the pitches that we play on is a very big factor. If the pitches are not the best, if they are too challenging, then you will not enjoy watching women's cricket. Women's cricket is best enjoyed when the conditions are very good for batting and the surface is very true. It's like how we expect a pitch to be in a T20 match in men's cricket. I am not saying it shouldn't be good for bowling, but it should (definitely) be good for batting. That's when you will see a good contest. Now, because, by and large the conditions in India will be good, they won't really be alien to anyone. So, we cannot really boast of home advantage, as such. But yes, there will always be an underlying, unspoken comfort zone, which we as an Indian team will always have is that we know we are playing in our country – wherever we turn, we will have support. In a foreign land, you will only have the support of the 20-30 people who travel with you and then parts of the crowd at the matches. Here, everything is very familiar. That confidence cannot be taken away from a home team and also cannot be given to any foreign player who plays regularly in India. Since the (upcoming) World Cup is being played in a round-robin format, so every match will be essential, NRR will be important, what if one of your matches is washed out etc. – everything becomes important. Plus, India will be playing in all the venues (five venues across India and Sri Lanka), like in the 2023 men's ODI World Cup (in India across 10 venues). So, the women's team will need to adapt very quickly – from Indore to Bengaluru to Colombo to Guwahati – the conditions will change. Which is also why I said earlier that the team shouldn't rely on just spinners (in the bowling department), you must always have a backup option. I feel New Zealand will also be a good team (at the World Cup). They have won the T20 World Cup (2024). They will have experienced players in their line-up, they should have the spinners who have done well in UAE conditions. They are not talked about a lot, but they are a good team. They have strong, powerful batters. The South African players are also very well versed with the Indian conditions, which can be conducive for their bowling line-up. Now they also have a leg-spinner who they have started picking (19-year-old Seshnie Naidu). Also, let's not count out a team like Sri Lanka. They might not be on the shortlist of title favourites, but they will be playing a few matches in home conditions. They created problems for South Africa and they can do the same to other teams also. The round-robin format will always ask a team to be at their best, always. So, the Indian team too have to be at their best. They need to rest well, prepare well. They will need to have all their bases covered in batting, bowling. The templates might need to change depending on the opposition and game plans.
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First Post
08-08-2025
- Sport
- First Post
'Nice to see Indian players have belief and faith': Anjum Chopra on Indian women's team's very successful tour of England
There's no doubt that the 2-2 scoreline in the men's Test series between India and England actually feels like a series triumph for most Indian fans, because of the way the last two Tests at Old Trafford and the Oval panned out. There is indeed a lot to celebrate and also to reflect on. But we have to ask ourselves – because of the men's Test series that was on over 5 Tests, did we forget to properly celebrate the achievements of the Indian women's cricket team in England this time? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Indian team clinched a historic series win in the T20I series (3-2) and then a 2-1 win in the ODIs. Going into this tour of England, the Indian women's team had lost all six of their away bilateral T20I series vs England, which featured more than one match. Suffice to say, the way the Indian team led by Harmanpreet Kaur, who scored a magnificent century (102) in the third ODI, conducted themselves was a joy to watch and celebrate. Former India captain Anjum Chopra was one of the pioneers who shaped Indian women's cricket. Anjum, who made her India debut in February 1995, played a lot of her cricket in the pre-BCCI days (BCCI took over management of the Indian women's cricket team in a merger with the Women's Cricket Association of India in November 2006) and has seen the women's game in the country change, develop, evolve and be re-shaped over the decades. For Anjum, the most heartening thing to see this time in England was the way the Indian players believed in themselves and their own abilities and skill-sets. In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, Anjum, who scored over 3600 international runs and had a fantastic international career that spanned 17 years, talks about the big highlights of the Indian women's team's very successful tour of England this time and analyses in detail all the things that went right and also everything that the team still needs to work on. Anjum also talks about the specific growth of individual players and also what some of them need to work on more. India are the co-hosts, along with Sri Lanka, of the next edition of the ICC Women's ODI World Cup, which will be played from September 30 to November 2 this year. The Indian team will, in fact, be playing ODIs next only in this tournament. In the run-up to this mega event, this immensely successful tour will no doubt be a huge shot in the arm for the Indian team. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This is Part 1 of an exclusive interview with Anjum Chopra on Indian women's cricket in which she decodes the tour of England and India's wins in both the T20I and ODI series. An incredibly successful tour of England for the Indian women's team this time, winning in both the T20I and the ODI series. Must be a big shot in the arm for the team, especially with a women's ODI World Cup around the corner, in India and Sri Lanka. Let's talk about the ODI series first. Your take on how things came together for the team in this series, particularly in the third match, where the team put up a score of 300 plus… Anjum: It was really so nice to see the Indian players have belief and faith in their own abilities. When they (India) won the first match (by 4 wickets, chasing down 259 successfully) and things started working for them, it was nice to see a good, collective performance from the team in that first game. Then they went to Lord's (for the second ODI, which India lost by 8 wickets by the DLS Method) and I felt that they were a bit overawed by the ground, which happens to some cricketers. The moment you step onto Lord's, you feel – 'oh, this is more than just a cricket ground'. So, especially for the players who hadn't played there before or even those who haven't played a lot of cricket at Lord's, the ground can be a bit more imposing than some other venues. You could tell by the way Deepti Sharma played (experienced at playing at Lord's), because she has played 10-11 times (before) at that venue, she has been part of the Hundred team as well (London Spirit Women who won their maiden Women's Hundred title in 2024, clinching the final at Lord's vs Welsh Fire Women). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD So, how Deepti absorbed the pressure and played as a batter or as a bowler vis-à-vis others – there was a stark difference in the approach. The highlight for me was Harmanpreet Kaur scoring the hundred (102 off 84 in the third ODI to be declared Player of the Match). A century, of course, always means a lot, but this one was an important one, according to me, because it was a chanceless knock. Also, the mindset she came in with – the fact that she wanted to score her runs in the V and down the ground and not behind square, even though the wicket was slightly slow. But she was not keen on playing the paddle-sweeps or deft touches to the short-third or short-fine regions. She was keen on playing shots in front of the wicket, which was a really heartening thing to see. Also, she didn't lose her concentration when she entered her fifties or seventies. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD She did pick up a niggle and had to be attended to, but she didn't lose her focus. That told me that there was consistency and also a certain kind of adaptability – to switch from the T20 format to a longer format – which is not an easy thing to do. But we have seen that happen more often in the women's team. They are now more aware of that and more realistic about how to approach that change (in formats). For Harman to come in at this age and at this point in her career and make such a strong statement for herself, and not for anybody else – that is important. There is a vast difference between Jemimah scoring a century at this time and Harman scoring a century. And then (for India) to come back and defend the target – I felt that England didn't have the same kind of skill or temperament that India had, when they were chasing (in the first ODI) and that is where I think they (England) lost. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Harmanpreet Kaur smashed 102 as India won the final ODI against England to clinch the series 2-1. Image: BCCI Nat Sciver-Brunt (England captain, scored 98 in the 3rd ODI in a losing cause) can't always take them home alone. She has done it many times before, but she also needs support. Then the way Kranti Goud picked up those six wickets (6/52 in the 3rd ODI) was fantastic to see. I still feel, though, that there are areas that India need to improve on. For one, they can't play with one seamer and four spinners – that cannot be a bowling attack. They went ahead with that combination and won, so you can't really question it, as such. Had they lost, people would have come down much more heavily on that selection call. But it's not about just asking a question for the sake of asking questions. I have been vocal about this. You need 5-6 good bowlers. You can't have a Charani or a Kranti Goud bowling as frontline bowlers. It worked this time, but it's not something we should be relying on every time. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD You need experience and you need a little more variety. Maybe the mindset of the team was to try and give everyone a feel of international cricket. I can understand that perspective. This team doesn't play 40-45 ODIs a year, they play somewhere around 10-11 ODIs every year, so the exposure that is needed and the awareness that is needed of understanding their game and the sport overall, that comes slightly slower than the men's team. Maturity takes a bit longer to set in. One thing that you talked about a fair bit, about the women's team, when we last spoke, was consistency. You, very rightly, emphasised the importance of consistency in international cricket. Now, for someone watching from the outside, the way this team won the T20I series and then the ODI series, this might be taken as a classic example of consistent cricket and that too in foreign conditions. As someone who sees and reads the game as a player and an expert, what is your take on that… STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Anjum: It's really great that the Indian team managed to win both series. Had they lost the One Day series, that would have been disappointing, because there is a World Cup coming up and also you felt that woman for woman, India had a better chance of winning the ODI series. The fact that they did manage to win it means that their confidence levels will be much higher. As far as consistency is concerned, I will say that it was great to see the team win the T20I series 3-2 and then the ODI series 2-1, because England is a World Champion team. India has never won a World Cup, but England has (4 ODI World Cup titles and 1 T20 World Cup title). This was a series played in England's own backyard and these were scorelines that will be acceptable, any day. This was not a one-sided contest. Earlier, in situations where the Indian team was playing a higher-ranked, more competitive team, the team often didn't have the answers or the depth to soak in the pressure and bounce back hard. They have always had depth in the batting department, but this time they really showcased it. The individual performances – Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana, Amanjot Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol – all of them scoring runs – that is the depth that they managed to showcase this time. Every game, there was somebody or the other who stepped up to the plate. In the bowling department, even though I don't think this is the ideal bowling combination, individual bowlers played their part – Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma, Kranti Goud as a youngster making her debut in England, picked up wickets and was very confident of her abilities. This tour gave us glimpses of the path that the team wants to follow and how they are going to go about it. For ages, the team has been 'working hard in the camps' – that is a standard thing that we always get to hear. For ages, we have been 'improving our fitness and fielding' – that is not something that is new. But how favourable results were achieved this time – that is something new. Kranti Goud took six wickets in the ODI series decider. Image: BCCI It's not just about the words from the Indian captain, but the results that the captain has managed to walk away with. That is a big positive for me. Winning a series always keeps you in that positive frame of mind that 'we are not shying away from something different. We know that we are backing our strengths'. So, at least the confidence in their self-ability is there. And that stems from the fact that you have been consistent individually in your performances. Let's talk about the T20I series now in a bit more detail. That was a historic series win for the Indian team - their first against this opposition - that too on English soil - We have spoken in the past about the areas of improvement in the women's team - your take on what you saw in the T20I series and what impressed you the most… Anjum: The thing that stood out the most for me in the T20I and ODI series was the fact that the self-belief that individual Indian players have in their own skill-sets has gone up. In the past, it was a collective Indian team going and competing against an opposition (individual brilliance and self-belief, as such, was missing). Of course, they are collectively competing (as a team), but what I have noticed on this particular tour is that individually also they have also improved their game. And that is the biggest growth in Indian women's cricket, in totality, for me. It has been a very conscious step-up – a move by the entire team towards getting the results. Individual players have begun to believe in their skill sets and, of course, they have worked towards that. For example, for a Smriti Mandhana to get a hundred (112 off 62 balls in the first T20I vs England, which India won by 97 runs) and not getting out in the 80s and 90s. Yes, she was dropped when she was on 3 or 4 and then there was another chance as well, so I won't say that it was a chanceless knock, but the thing we should focus on is that she (Smriti) didn't get out in the 80s or 90s and realised how she could get from 80 to 100 or 90 to 100. Even though she has been around for over a decade for the Indian team, this has been a growth for her own skill level, which we saw in the first T20I. In the second T20I, India were about 3 down when the partnership between Jemimah (Rodrigues) and Amanjot (Kaur) was forged (93-run stand). Jemimah, of course, played very well, up and down that batting order. But for her to have that kind of a partnership with Amanjot and for both players to have that belief - 'yes, we can hang around' and also for Amanjot to play that kind of a knock, even after Jemimah got out, was significant for me. That is because if I look at the individual stories of Jemimah Rodrigues and Amanjot Kaur, I realise that individual players have grown independently. Could you elaborate on that a bit more? The growth that the cricket analyst in you saw in individual Indian women's team players, on this tour of England… Anjum: Jemimah, we know can bat up and down that batting order, but she has to be consistent, because there is a Harleen Deol, who has batted very well. So, for Jemimah, it boils down to how she is batting to keep her place in the side and how she counters the situations she finds herself in, individually and independently. So, I saw that growth in Jemimah. For Amanjot, I realised that playing against international bowlers in England - a country she is touring for the first time – and the fact that though she has been around, she is not vastly experienced. But for her to play every ball on its merit, to hit the ball over the mid-off fielder and get a boundary or place the ball well and run a couple of runs – I saw that growth in Amanjot. Then, in the third game, which India lost, someone like Radha Yadav was trying her best in the fielding department to prove her worth. And in the fourth match (T20I) she (left-arm spinner Radha Yadav) received the Player of the Match award (2/15). The last game, they (India) should have won. Jemimah Rodrigues has emerged as one of the most reliable players for India. Image: BCCI Then there's someone like Deepti Sharma – in the ODIs. Earlier, if the team was 2 or 3 down that meant it was all over. Game finished. 120-130 all out in a T20I game or 205-215 all out in an ODI game, or unable to chase down a target. Team India has faced these scenarios in the past. But how the T20I series was won – it showed a shift in overall performance – where individual players and the way they performed, as individuals is what made the biggest difference. Also, I don't think that England played very well. Their bowlers were poor and the Indian players capitalised on that. The biggest highlight for me on this tour was the belief that the Indian players showed in their own abilities. The Indian spinners really led from the front, in the T20I series in particular. The top three wicket-takers of the series were all Indian and all spinners - Shree, Deepti and Radha. Your take on their performance and what it means specifically for this team going ahead, especially with an ODI World Cup coming up in home conditions in just over a month's time… Anjum: I feel spinners will play a big role, but I also feel that, at the end of the day, we need six bowlers to provide solidity. The growth that we saw in Shree Charani (left-arm spinner), performing the way she did I think has been very impressive I observed how she bowled in different phases of the game, how she varied her pace, how skillful she has turned out to be – and doing all that in a foreign land is not easy, irrespective of who the player is and how experienced he or she is – it's never easy. So, I felt that that growth in this generation has happened and she (Shree Charani) has learnt how to hold her nerve in a difficult situation. Shree Charani for me is a big asset, just like I thought that Amanjot (Kaur) is a big asset. Shree shows great promise and I have been very impressed with her performances in the T20I series (top wicket-taker in the T20I series with 10 wickets). And performing in England will hold her in good stead, of course. I also wanted to quickly discuss the batters. The two highest run-getters in the T20I series were again both Indian - Smriti top scored with a total of 221 runs and an average of over 44 followed by Shafali. The first match of course saw Smriti scoring her maiden T20I century, as India beat England by a record 97 runs at Trent Bridge - England's heaviest T20I defeat by runs. Let's talk about Smriti. An opener's role is so very crucial in the limited-overs formats. You have seen Smriti from the time she was a very young cricketer. Your take on the evolution of the current Indian vice-captain as a batter… Anjum: She has always been a very talented cricketer. I have seen very few people who have not changed their stance (at all, as such). Her stance, from the time I saw her first, the way she stands in the crease, the way she shuffles or has a trigger movement – that has not changed. Which is a great thing. She has played that same role (in the team) over the years. Her bottom hand is not dominating or her top hand is firm, her balance is the same. You see some small changes creep into a batter's game over the years. But then there are others. We have, for instance, seen Sachin Tendulkar have the same stance, very little trigger movement, right through his career. And that is one thing that I have seen in Smriti. Which is great. When I look at players like Smriti or Harman, or Deepti or Jemimah – I am looking at people who have such immense talent and the ability to become World Champions. And that makes me reflect and ask myself the question – 'have they done justice to that talent?' Smriti made her debut in 2013, as a U-19 cricketer, or Deepti, who is from the same era – and how much cricket have they already played – international cricket, international tours, franchise cricket. When I compare these players, I will compare them with players like Laura Wolvaardt (SA), Beth Mooney (Aus) etc. How much have these players improved (since they started playing) compared to players like Deepti or Smriti? From where I stand, I think Smriti alone has the talent to be a world-beater consistently. Smriti Mandhana celebrates after completing her century in the first T20I against England in Nottingham. Image: AP As far as I am concerned, consistency has to be taken very seriously. We spoke about how good her (Smriti's) century was in the first T20I and India won, but look at the other four matches (scores of 13, 56, 32 & 8) and how she got out. If you look at a Virat Kohli or a Rohit Sharma, when they have scored a hundred, look at the scores that followed. We saw Yashasvi Jaiswal score back-to-back hundreds (consecutive double centuries vs England in Tests at home in 2024), KL Rahul scored back-to-back fifties. There has to be consistency and that is the next level, in terms of growth, that the Indian team has to target. Players who have played more than 100 matches – they travel across the world, play on international grounds, they are (consistently) on the move throughout the year. In our time, we would pack one suitcase. Our break was going for a meal somewhere. The players these days - their exposure compared to our time is greater, the awareness is greater, so the growth also needs to be greater. Someone like Harmanpreet learnt the art of winning matches at the age of 30. These (younger) players should have, of course, learnt it by now already. I am probably setting a very high benchmark and they are working towards it also, but that is the kind of growth I would imagine these players to have or should have had. They will eventually get there, but at this age – this is your oyster – there will be dips in form, then you will come back. There will be thoughts about who next, etc. But this is their time and it will not come back for anyone. As a woman, you introspect and ask yourself – 'ok, so, what about the next 4-5 years? Where can I reach in that timeframe?'
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First Post
22-07-2025
- Sport
- First Post
'For Shubman to walk tall in the dressing room, it will be his runs which will help him the most': Anjum Chopra
India have dominated England in all three Tests, yet they trail 2-1 in Shubman Gill's debut series as captain. So how is Gill faring as a leader, and what more does India need to win the next two must-win matches? Anjum Chopra decodes. read more It's quite a surreal feeling to think that Team India could actually have had the ongoing 5-Test series vs England, in England, in the bag by now. India remember haven't won a Test series in England since 2007, under Rahul Dravid's captaincy and Shubman Gill could well have rewritten the history books, and that too in spectacular fashion, by winning the first three Tests. And that is not wishful thinking, India actually had the upper hand in both the Tests they have lost so far in the series, in Leeds and at Lord's, for long periods of time. But the reality is that the visitors are 1-2 down, with two Tests left to play. That's two must-win matches, if they are to clinch their first Test series in England in 18 years. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It would be completely unfair, of course, to say that there hasn't been anything to celebrate, as far as the Indian team is concerned, on this tour of England. Apart from their commanding performance in the Edgbaston Test (won by 336 runs), which was a historic win (first ever Test win by India at the venue), individual brilliance with bat and ball has to be given credit, along with first-time Test captain Shubman Gill's ability to compartmentalise his batting and captaincy responsibilities – something that former India captain Anjum Chopra chose to highlight in this exclusive interview with Firstpost. Anjum, who became the first Indian female cricketer to be given honorary life membership of the MCC, and who played 12 Tests, 127 ODIs and 18 T20Is for India, scoring over 3600 international runs, discussed multiple talking points, including Shubman Gill as new India Test captain, how India could have been 3-0 up in the series, whether Ravindra Jadeja is an unsung hero and what he could have done differently in Leeds and at Lord's, the fact that England are beatable at home, what to expect in the upcoming fourth Test at Manchester – a venue India where have never won a Test match against England - and much more. Excerpts from an exclusive interview with Anjum Chopra… Let's begin with the captain - your take on what you have seen of Shubman the Test skipper so far. What has impressed you and what more would you like to see him do or maybe even change? Chopra: I think it's quite early in the game to start judging Shubman the captain. That just won't be fair. All of us knew, in our heart of hearts, that one day Shubman would get the responsibility of captaincy. That was at the time when he had just been drafted by the Gujarat Titans. We knew he would get GT captaincy and eventually, someday, India captaincy as well. The Indian men's team has the luxury of looking to the future. The women's team can't do that because we first have to strengthen the present of the women's game in the country, allow the youngsters to say – 'I want to pick up this game and I want to play this game'. Our present needs to be strong enough to encourage the next generation to come in and be a part of the scheme of things. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also Read | **Chappell urges Gill to become a good communicator, define the sort of team he wants India to be** If we don't sort out our present, we will not have a future. So, Shubman for me is somebody who is still learning the ropes of captaincy and how to handle the team. While I will not judge his captaincy, I will use this opportunity to say that he is captaining an Indian team in England for the first time and yet how well he has managed to compartmentalise his batting and his captaincy and keep the two separate. Something we have seen him do in the IPL also. In the IPL (for GT) Shubman and Sai Sudharsan have been scoring consistently. And consistency matters. Look at how Sai walked into the Indian Test team. With 607 runs in three Tests, Shubman Gill is currently leading the scoring chart in the series. Image: AP I also felt Sai missed out on the second Test through no fault of his own. So, it is so nice to see how nicely Shubman has isolated the two roles (of batter and captain). It is brilliant. Plus, he has worked on the areas of concern in his batting. In terms of becoming a shrewd captain, that will be a work in progress. Slowly and steadily he (Shubman) will get there, because he is also trying to handle everything – the seniors around him, the advice coming in from the dressing room, the transformation in his own self – from a boy to a man to a captain. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The changes also have come about quite nicely for him and very quickly. Now, it's possible that he will mature as a player quicker and learn the ropes of captaincy quicker, as well. So, right now he also has that buffer (of time because of his young age and how quickly things have happened for him). We are prepared to give him a lengthy rope. What I like about Shubman is that he is trying to have a strong presence on the ground. There are other (big name) players – KL Rahul, (Ravindra) Jadeja, (Mohammed) Siraj, (Jasprit) Bumrah – but because he is the captain, the cameras will always follow him. And you want him to be surrounded by such players – to earn their respect and also to have the luxury of being able to turn to them and asking them for their advice. Also Read | Why dilly-dallying around Jasprit Bumrah paints a wrong picture of Team India and the pacer STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While he learns on the job, he should be able to also lean on these players for assistance, because in some years he will be the one who will have to take youngsters (in the team) forward and if he doesn't have the luxury of learning from the current seniors then he will not have enough to pass on to the next generation. For Shubman to walk tall in this dressing room, it will be his runs that will help him the most. That reminds me of a few news reports which highlighted the fact that in the first Test in Leeds, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant were seen setting the field, even though Shubman was on the ground. What was so wrong with that? That was literally Shubman's first Test as India captain… Chopra: It all boils down to how we want to perceive things. It depends on what we want to see and how we want to react. You need a captain and you pick the best possible resource. The likes of Virat (Kohli) and Rohit (Sharma) were natural leaders. You could see that. You only criticise what you want to criticise. Shubman won't have the wisdom of a Rohit Sharma right now and you don't want him to have it either – you want him to grow into that role. If everything happens on the first day, how will the player evolve? Slowly and steadily, you learn what help will come from where, what help I need from where. You can't hit a shot till the time the bowler bowls the ball, so as a batter also you are reliant on the bowler bowling the ball – whether it's while knocking the ball or in a match situation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We have identified him (Shubman) as our leader and we have to put all our weight and energy behind him as our leader and the Test captain of the country and back him. He is a good batter, a stylish player, a valuable asset. And these are things that should help us back him as a leader. You have thrown a player into the deep end, give him an opportunity to swim and be around to help. Let's not wait for him to fail, let's be there to help him succeed because that is essential. He is India's leader. He is not leading some other country. Let's talk about the overall ongoing Test series now. The Leeds loss was a gut punch, the loss at Lord's was a heartbreak. India could very well have been 3-0 up, with the series in the bag currently. Would you agree with that? Chopra: Absolutely. The Leeds Test was a match that India should have won. Second match they (Team India) won and then again in the third Test – with nine pure batters (couldn't chase down target of 193) – why are we counting Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy as all-rounders only? They are all-rounders, yes, but they are (also) proper batters. With nine batters if you couldn't close down the game, that is your inability, not the opposition's brilliance. The opposition will come hard at you in any case. They are also playing to win the match. I felt that the Indian team missed the opportunity to close out the game (Lord's Test). Probably the lack of experience of the captain or the senior players not being able to assist the captain to close out the game. The opposition's job is to try to stop you from winning and your job is to close the game – that is where preparation also comes in. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India suffered a narrow loss at Lord's Test after batters failed to take responsibility. Image: AFP Let's talk about the man who almost took India across the finish line at Lord's – Ravindra Jadeja. Would you say that he is an unsung hero of Indian cricket? Here is someone who has been consistently at No. 1 in the ICC Test all-rounder's rankings for over 3 years straight now, but does Ravindra Jadeja really get his due? Chopra: No, I wouldn't say that he (Ravindra Jadeja) doesn't get his due. He is acknowledged, he is widely respected. But he is also in almost the Deepti Sharma mould – that you are a consistent performer, but there is always someone else who is overshadowing you. Yes, he has been a match-winner, but he is not your natural leader. But he will always be one player you will fall back on when you are in adversity. But I wouldn't say that he is an unsung hero. There have been times – and I felt that in the first innings of the third Test (at Lord's) - (that) he (Jadeja) should have taken the game away with his experience and skill. Even in the first Test (at Leeds). That is where your experience comes in. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also Read | Jadeja deserved his own Headingley 2019 moment at Lord's, but India just could not muster enough resolve Even if you are an unsung hero and not given your due, you be that strong force in the side. You could have played a lot faster, dominated better. And here I am not talking about the last two hours of the Lord's Test. I am not even going there. I am talking about the first Test, also the first innings of the third Test. He (Jadeja) is one of the stronger pillars of the Indian team and people do acknowledge that. You will not write down an Indian team (playing XI) without Ravindra Jadeja's name being there. Would you agree that this England team is very much beatable in their own backyard? Also going by what happened at Leeds and at Lord's – what would you, the cricket analyst, say are the areas Team India should focus on with two must-win Tests left to play? Chopra: Yes, they (England) are beatable. The very fact that in all three Test matches, the Indian team was in a situation where they could win the match is the biggest example that England are a beatable side. They don't have (James) Anderson and (Stuart) Broad. They don't have the kind of menacing spells which they have had in the past from spinners like Graeme Swann or Jack Leach. Yes, they (England) are definitely beatable. The Indian team is skills-wise and mentally a better prepared side because of the last four or so tours to England. Ravindra Jadeja is integral to Team India but at times inconsistent. Image: Reuters The Indian players are a much more confident lot. They couldn't close down the games in their favour (in Leeds and Lord's), they didn't win those small moments, they didn't improve (and work on) the errors they made in the first Test match. They have continued to make similar sort of errors. That is why they were pegged back. Why couldn't they get a first innings lead in the Lord's Test, especially after KL Rahul got a hundred? You can't say that the opposition took the game away from us. We know the areas we didn't strengthen and allowed England to come back into the contest. Now that Nitish Reddy is out of the series and Arshdeep Singh is out of the Manchester Test, what are the possible changes you see Team India making for the fourth Test? Do you see Karun Nair retaining his place? India do also have the likes of Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Dhruv Jurel in the squad… Abhimanyu Easwaran should have been played many years ago. It is a very sad story. Suryakumar Yadav played ahead of him, Shubman Gill played ahead of him, Sai Sudharsan has played ahead of him. For the last four-five years he (Easwaran) has been travelling with this Indian team, but has not been played, which I think, somewhere down the line is unfair. This is a man who is consistently performing in domestic cricket and (then) we say that we are rewarding people from domestic cricket. In terms of what changes the Indian team makes – are they willing to play a Kuldeep Yadav, if the conditions remain very similar to what they were like at Lord's? It's warm there. We have just seen the (Indian) women's team play a match at Old Trafford (4th T20I vs England women). It will be a good batting track, so would you want to play another spinner? If another spinner has to be played then you will have to drop a batter. Also Read | India camp rocked by injury crisis: How team combination could change after Nitish Reddy, Arshdeep Singh blow In the last Test the team couldn't chase down a target of 193 with nine batters. So, the team management will have to be comfortable making that call of going with one less batter and one more bowler. And who will that batter be who misses out? Do I go with Karun Nair? I think Karun batted really well. Barring the dismissals he has had, I think he has batted really well, going by the kind of shots that he has played. But somebody has to make way for another bowler in this line-up. Kuldeep Yadav is yet to play a Test under Shubman Gill's captaincy. Image: Reuters A hypothetical question now, because I don't understand why he hasn't been tried out yet. If Arshdeep hadn't picked up this left thumb injury in the nets and was available to play, would you have picked him in the playing XI in Manchester? Chopra: Arshdeep is someone I would have played in the first Test match (itself) just because of the different angle (that he creates as a left-arm pacer). I did not understand why Arshdeep was not played. He has played county cricket. He is also coming into his own. As a bowler you take time to understand conditions, etc and mature. Why was a left-arm seamer not played ahead of a right-arm fast bowler? But maybe Arshdeep wasn't fully fit (earlier – before his thumb injury), maybe he wasn't bowling at his best in the nets, maybe he is not giving the team confidence – we don't know. It all depends on what the management is planning. India haven't played a Test at Manchester since 2014. They have also never won a Test match at this venue from the first Test they played in 1936 till the one in August 2014. A lot has changed at the ground since 2014 of course. Your take on what the fans can expect from Team India in the fourth Test at Old Trafford…. Chopra: It's always had a good batting pitch. We saw that in the T20I that the girls played also (vs England women recently). What the fans can expect is again a very true surface. There has to be a little bit of juice in it for it to last five days. I don't think they will make a surface which will assist the spinners, because England also have to bat on it. Also, I don't think that they will make the pitch very spicy, because again both teams have to bat on it and anybody could be batting on it on Day One in the first couple of hours. It should remain a very true surface to score runs on. It could well be another battle of the batters, with the bowlers toiling hard to get those 20 wickets.
India Gazette
07-07-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
"The middle order wasn't able to capitalise to the tune they were supposed to": Anjum Chopra on Indian Women's 5-run defeat against England in 3rd T-20
Faridabad (Haryana) [India], July 7 (ANI): Former India women's cricketer Anjum Chopra reflected on the third T-20 between India Women's and England Women's; she felt the Indian middle order couldn't accelerate the scoring rate while chasing 172. She emphasised that a backwards step immediately puts the team in a position where they have to catch up, leading to an increasing run rate if they fail to capitalise. While speaking to ANI, Anjum Chopra said, 'The middle order needed to capitalize so when you're chasing 171-172, you can't take a step back the moment you take a step back, obviously you will have to play catch up in the next following overs and if you don't do that the run rate increases. I thought that the middle order wasn't able to capitalise or play to the tune that they were supposed to be playing.' England found its way out of a hole and kept the five-match series alive by narrowly escaping with a slender five-run victory against India women's team in the third T20I, in a contest where simple dropped catches took centre stage at The Oval. With designated captain Nat Sciver-Brunt out of the contest due to an injury, stand-in captain Tammy Beaumont inspired England to a comeback win to bring the series to 1-2. Despite the defeat in the previous fixture, Chopra praised Smriti Mandhana's performance in the ongoing T20 series against England. She said Mandhana's century in the first T-20 was a treat to watch and felt she's vastly experienced, that's what's expected out of her. 'I thought Smriti's knock in the first T-20 was brilliant. It was a treat to watch the kind of shots she played. She made batting look so simple, but again, she's vastly experienced, and that is what's expected out of her,' she added. Mandhana made history last week as she became the first-ever women's cricketer from India to slam centuries in all formats of international cricket. Mandhana reached this feat during her side's first T20I of five matches against England at Nottingham on Saturday. During the game, the left-handed opener smashed 112 in just 62 balls, with 15 fours and three sixes, at a strike rate of 180.65. Followed by her century, Mandhana carried her form in the third T-20 as well, and she was the top scorer for India in the match. She slammed 56 off 49 balls, including ten fours. India will next clash with England on Wednesday, July 9, at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester. (ANI)
