Chakdaha express: A biography of Jhulan Goswami

For nearly two decades, Jhulan Goswami, the veteran medium pacer from Bengal, carried the responsibility of Indian bowling on her shoulders. She is tall, standing at 5ft 11 inches, and that has always caused trouble for the batters with her medium pace. Swift running and explosiveness while delivering the ball have made her unique and most effective. On her given day, she would be a nightmare to her opponent’s batting line-up. In this article by ZAP, let’s learn more about Jhulan Goswami’s career, her stats and records, and what made her truly special.

Jhulan Goswami’s early life and Domestic Cricket Career:

Jhulan was born on November 25, 1982, and she is 41 years old now. She comes from a small town in Bengal called Chakdah. She started playing cricket at 15, and it took her merely four years to come to the biggest stage and represent the country. Her early struggles included a lot of travelling, as her home was far away from all the cricket facilities. She played domestic cricket, representing Bengal from 1999–2000 and then again from 2018 until the end of her playing career. In between, she even represented the Air India team from 2001–2006.

Also Read: Women's Cricket | First Class Cricket | Ranji Trophy

Jhulan Goswami’s International Cricket Career:

At the young age of 19, Jhulan made her international ODI debut on January 6, 2002, against England, and the rest is history. Her first appearance in test cricket was 8 days later, that is, on January 14, 2002, against the same opponents, England.

4 years later, she made her debut in the shortest format. She made her T20I debut on August 5, 2006, that too against England.

Goswami had a highly successful career. She was even awarded ICC Player of the Year in 2007. She holds the record for taking the highest wickets in One Day format, that is, 255. That’s not it, she holds the record of becoming the first bowler to take 250 wickets in WODI. After her, it is Shabnam Ismail, who has taken 191 wickets in WODI. This shows that nobody is even close to her in terms of wickets. 

She was also ranked as the No. 1 bowler in ODIs by the ICC on various occasions. Her achievements highlight how she has been a pillar of the Indian Women’s team for 2 long decades. She was dominant and irreplaceable throughout that time. Goswami played her last match on 24th September against England. She retired at the age of 39. 

Apart from her individual success, Jhulan has always been a team player. She led the Indian team in 25 ODIs from 2008–2011. She often shared a close bond with her juniors as well. Her style of leadership allowed juniors to step up and flourish. She played a good role in Harmanpreet’s career as well. She was often seen guiding Kaur on and off the field.

Later, her contributions were also recognised by the Government of India. She was awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2010 and later Padma Shri in 2012.

Jhulan Goswami Career Stats and Wickets:

Jhulan Goswami took 355 wickets in her career. Out of which, she took most wickets in One Day format. Her records in this format are tremendous, as she took 255 wickets with an average of 22.04. In test matches, she took 44 wickets with a decent average of 17.36. Also, in T20I, she took 56 wickets with an average of 21.94.

Also Read: Fast Bowling Tips and Techniques | Swing Bowling

Jhulan Goswami’s Coaching career:

After hanging her shoes, Goswami chose to coach other budding cricketers. In WPL, she joined Mumbai Indians playing the role of bowling coach and mentor. Her experience helped the franchise as they grabbed the trophy in the premier edition itself. She has an eye for talent and helps her franchise scout talent from various parts of the country. 

Her home state, Bengal, organizes Bengal Pro T20 League for grooming of female cricketers in Bengal. Goswami will hence play a big role in scouting talents there as well. 

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