The Morning Brief Is Women’s Cricket in India Finally Out of the Shadows?
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Nov 4, 2025 K. Shriniwas Rao, a seasoned sports journalist, and Divyanshu Singh, CEO of JSW Sports, discuss the historic triumph of India's women's cricket team at the ODI World Cup. They explore the challenges of a shallow talent pool, inconsistent marketing, and the underwhelming Women’s Premier League. Divyanshu highlights JSW's investments in grassroots programs, while Rao emphasizes the importance of proactive player marketing. Together, they ponder whether this victory can catalyze a lasting transformation in women's cricket in India.
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BCCI Inclusion Sparked Slow Professionalization
- Bringing women's cricket under the BCCI in 2006 created the domestic framework that enabled stars to emerge.
- That administrative inclusion began a slow but necessary professionalisation of the game.
Pay Parity Was A Strategic Signal
- BCCI's move to equalise match payments was initially doubted but proved important for signalling equality.
- K. Shriniwas Rao now views pay parity as a positive, separate from commercial league revenues.
WPL Raised Profiles But Not An Industry
- The Women's Premier League (WPL) raised visibility but hasn't built a self-sustaining industry or deep grassroots pathways.
- Limited season length and modest commercial traction constrain long-term talent development.