No Indian player in the history of women’s ODIs has scored more than 200 career runs at a strike rate of 100 or more other than Richa Ghosh, the 18-year wicketkeeper-batter from Siliguri. She has only made 20 appearances at the international level so far, but has already displaced the mainstay wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia, broken the record for the fastest half-century by an Indian player in women’s ODIs and is third behind Anju Jain and Karu Jain for India women wicketkeepers with most ODI fifties.
The teenager who shot to fame through the Challenger Trophy for her shot-making, took to the sport as a four and a half-year old, egged on by her father, an umpire at the Cricket Association of Bengal. She idolises Sachin Tendulkar, but her daredevilry is inspired by none other than MS Dhoni.
Richa Ghosh holds the Indian record for fastest fifty in women’s ODIs. Image: Twitter @BCCIWomen
“I love the way he hits sixes and try the same. Whoever may be the bowler, when you have the bat, you can do anything,” Richa said in an interview with PTI in 2020.
A gifted batter who loves having a crack at the top of the order, Richa has taken on a different role in the Indian middle-order — to ensure the team finishes on a high. As someone who made it to the T20 World Cup squad in 2020 as a 16-year old, there’s no denying the immense talent she possesses. But finishing is a hard job, even for veteran players, and with India’s middle-order notorious for their slow scoring rate, Richa’s task only gets tougher.
But Richa has shown in her short career thus far that she’s capable of that and more. Walking in at No 7 on her ODI debut against a strong Australia side in September 2021, Richa smashed 32* from 29 balls to push India’s total up. Next game, she was moved up to the No 5 slot and impressed again with a 50-ball 44, putting on a rapid half-century stand with Smriti Mandhana.
In Queenstown this month, she hit two brilliant half-centuries against New Zealand, both coming at a strike rate of over 100. The second of them came off just 26 balls and is the fastest half-century recorded by an Indian player in women’s ODIs.
A player who comfortably rocks onto her back-foot and plays a cracking pull shot, Richa’s batting suited to the wickets in New Zealand and her role in the ODI World Cup could be crucial to India’s chances, especially given that the late, death overs impetus has to majorly come from her.
Her experience at the Women’s Big Bash League should also stand her in good stead as the tournament arrives. While her wicketkeeping is still a developing trait, Richa has already shown signs of massive improvement in her recent series. A brilliant overall package, the future is Richa’s to conquer, but the immediate need of the team is for her to have a terrific ODI World Cup. Given her form in the lead-up to the tournament, that wish might just come true.
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