Goswami stamps her authority

For someone who by sheer weight of talent and virtue of experience has stamped her authority in the sport and for decades together, there’s a beautiful co-incidence in her country issuing a stamp as a mark of respect of her ability. As much of the world was transfixed in the usual grip of the Indian Premier League on April 20, Jhulan Goswami achieved a graceful high, ever so silently, akin to her usual mode of operation in the sport by becoming the only sportswoman in India to have a national stamp being issued in her honour.



How’s that for some serious cricketing respect?



Few in the game have scaled the peaks that India’s most valuable and experienced premier fast bowler has managed in a checkered run that begun way back in 2002. Not only is Jhulan Goswami the all-time highest wicket-taker in the women’s game, she’s the most economical fast bowler India has produced in the last decade and a half of competing at the highest level.



According to Mithali Raj, the ODI captain, Goswami, a lanky medium pace exponent is an old-guard of Indian cricket and someone who’s both respected and feared for her passion and ability to win India matches at the back of her disciplined, unwavering bowling talent.



169 ODIs- 203 wickets- economy of 3.2- 2 five-for’s and 5 four-for’s; at times it feels Jhulan’s presence in a contest is enough to yield some meaty outcomes.



The memorable feet for Jhulan- the unveiling of the stamp bearing her picture as an insignia- came at the Calcutta Sport’s Journalist’s club, in the presence of cricketing dignitaries like Sourav Ganguly. No other fast bowler from India has represented the national team for as many appearances and consistently so as Goswami in the past 10 years and few may be able to match the right-armer’s peak.



But all that said, here’s what stands apart.



What a stamp in commemoration of one of India’s most admired cricketers does is that it casts the female cauldron of the sport in a distinct league, hitherto matched by both contemporary and retired cricketers in a country where the male bastion of cricket still leads the way where fanfare is concerned.



But at a time where cricket is affording itself newer unveilings- T20s rising like wildfires and a Women’s Big Bash League generating, as much viewership as previous editions of the IPL and CPL- the responsibility on the able shoulders of talents like Jhulan Goswami only grows multifold in leading the game to a direction where it can reach only greater heights and travel a long distance.



Having scalped her 200^th victim against South Africa in South Africa, Goswami made a comeback into the blue colours after a minor scoff with an injury and was in the thick of things against England recently. With the Women’s T20 world cup a few months away, it’s imperative for stalwarts like Raj, Kaur and, Goswami herself to exult at one of Cricket’s showpiece events.