Young wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh is set to represent the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Her agile glove work and hard-hitting batting skills made the RCB go after her at the auctions and sign her for a whopping price of Rs 1.9 crore.
Richa is known for her magnificent strokeplay down the batting order. Just like her idol MS Dhoni, the Siliguri youngster wants to play the finisher role in whichever team she plays. Recently, she also featured in India Under-19 women’s team that defeated England in South Africa to lift the Women’s T20 World Cup. So far, she has played 35 WT20Is, scoring 563 runs at a strike-rate of 133.41.
The 19-year-old cricketer enjoys performing under pressure. In the latest episode of ‘Know Your Stars’, available on JioCinema, Richa shed light on her struggles to make it big in the game.
“In the beginning, not a lot of people from Siliguri supported me. I was not getting a chance to break through in my district… The difficulties they (my parents) endured from people during those times… today the same people come and socialize with them. My parents are happy that whoever troubled them then are the ones coming now to enquire about her,” Richa said.
Such was the Ghosh family’s commitment to fulfil their daughter’s dreams that Manabendra sold his business to support her career.
“I didn’t want to make an excuse that because I was busy running the business which brought us income, I could not support her career. Now that I shut down my source of livelihood, I am free, so wherever she needs to go, I can accompany her,” he explained.
“When she started playing, I just thought it would be good for her fitness. I was also around so I could watch over her during my own practice sessions. I suggested table tennis to her, and I took her to the local academy for a trial. She hit a couple of balls and put the racquet down and said, ‘I will only play cricket’,” revealed her father, Manabendra Ghosh, on the show.
Richa spoke of her admiration for big hitters.
“I used to really like players who hit sixes to win matches. I felt like I also wanted to hit those shots,” said Ghosh.
“I want to buy a flat in Kolkata where my family can settle down and enjoy their lives because they’ve struggled a lot. My father still umpires games and after this (WPL), I don’t want him to work. From now, me and my sister, both of us will work hard and let out parents enjoy their life.”
(Catch the episodes of ‘Know Your Stars’ available exclusively on JioCinema)
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