Richa Will Be Indian Skipper, Says Childhood Coach
Tapan Bhawal said she was not a wicketkeeper earlier and had to practice with boys due to the dearth of a dedicated women's cricket academy.
Published : November 4, 2025 at 2:12 PM IST
Siliguri: The Indian Women's Cricket Team is yet to get over the dream of becoming world champions. The Women in Blue, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, beat the Proteas by 52 runs in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. Among the 11 champions was 22-year-old Richa Ghosh from North Bengal, whose 34 of 24 balls contributed immensely to the team's victory.
First with the bat, then behind the wicket, the Siliguri girl has been flamboyant throughout the match. Expressing confidence about her potential, her childhood coach, Tapan Bhawal, expressed hope that she will be the skipper in the coming days.
The whole nation is still talking about the excellent performance of Richa, known as the power hitter. Not only Siliguri or North Bengal, but all budding players of the state have started dreaming about that Richa.
However, Richa's journey to secure a place in the national team was not easy. There was no dedicated cricket training centre or camp for girls in Siliguri, leaving her no choice but to play with boys. Not only that, she was not a wicketkeeper from the beginning. Till the district level, she used to bowl alongside batting and started keeping much later, said Bhawal.
"Richa started cricket at the age of eight under the guidance of her father, Manabendra Ghosh, who was a good cricketer. She started practising with boys at the Baghajatin Cricket Academy on the Siliguri College ground. Even then, women's cricket was not that popular in North Bengal. However, Richa and her family did not lose determination," Bhawal said.
It did not take long for Manabendra to realise the potential of his daughter in cricket. He paid keen attention to her game. Richa gradually made it to the district level. She would score runs as soon as she took the field with the bat. Her performance soon caught the eyes of selectors, and she never had to look back. She secured a place in the Under-16 and Under-19 Indian Women's Cricket Teams while playing for Bengal. Her reputation increased during the Women's Premier League, following which her place as an impeccable player in the Indian women's cricket team was cemented.
"Richa was impeccable with the bat since childhood. She would score in every game. I think she became more proficient by playing with boys. She would only say one thing: mindset. That is what is most needed. 'Sir, give the juniors a chance,' she would tell me," Bhawal said.
According to Bhawal, Richa is very calm and steady and performs well with boys. "Earlier, she was not a wicketkeeper. I made her bowl in district-level games. Later, she started keeping. But she was so good that she picked it up quickly. Now seeing Richa, many more girls will take up cricket. We are really proud of her," he added.
Shinjini Sarkar, a cricketer from Siliguri who once saw Richa in action, said, "Didi played brilliantly. We are very proud of her. We also hope to play for the country like Didi."
Bhaskar Dutt Majumdar, secretary of Siliguri Sub-Divisional Sports Council, said, "We cannot express our happiness in words. Richa has made Siliguri's name shine in the entire country. The way she has played every innings is impeccable."
Also Read
