Until recently, 10-year-old Sushila Meena led a typical life largely unnoticed in a quaint village in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan.
Everything shifted dramatically when the iconic cricketer Sachin Tendulkar posted a video on social media featuring her playing cricket, thrusting her into the media spotlight.
He commended her bowling technique, noting that it bore “shades of” the renowned former Indian bowler Zaheer Khan, who was celebrated for his precision, swing, strategic variations, and unique style on the field.
The video quickly gained popularity, amassing millions of views and thousands of shares. However, an ironic twist emerges: the young girl featured in the clip does not recognize the cricket icon who inadvertently propelled her into the spotlight.0
“I don’t know who he is,” Sushila states, noting that her family does not have a television, and she has never seen a cricket match.
Despite the circumstances, she expresses her gratitude towards him.
Sushila, hailing from a disadvantaged tribal background, is now garnering recognition and appreciation from all she encounters. Politicians, social activists, and distant relatives are all vying for a photo opportunity with her.
Sushila faces challenges in articulating her thoughts about this new reality. With a smile and a pose for the cameras, she appears gracious and bewildered by the sudden surge of attention surrounding her.
Upon putting on her school uniform and stepping onto the field with a rubber ball, the once-shy girl undergoes a remarkable transformation, emerging as a figure of fearlessness, strength, and unwavering focus.
“Once the ball is in my hand, my sole focus is on getting the batter out,” she states.
Asha, Sushila’s classmate, frequently finds herself at the crease wielding a bat and characterizes Sushila’s bowling as “difficult.”
“The ball takes an unexpected turn before striking the wicket with sudden impact,” she reports.
Shantibai, Sushila’s mother, expresses pride in her daughter’s accomplishments from the comfort of their home.
She notes that although many are enthusiastic about meeting her, there has been a lack of support from some individuals.
Some individuals have raised concerns regarding the decision of the parents to permit their daughter to engage in cricket rather than focusing on household responsibilities.
In various regions of rural India, prevailing attitudes often dictate that girls remain at home, with societal pressures discouraging them from engaging in sports or activities that fall outside conventional gender roles.
“I neither speak to them nor pay attention to their words,” Shantibai states.
“I will always support her decision to play cricket.”
At Sushila’s school, cricket has become a popular sport among students, largely thanks to the efforts of their dedicated teacher, Ishwarlal Meena.
“Since I joined in 2017, I have been actively encouraging students to engage in cricket,” he states. “To maintain student engagement in school, it is essential to introduce enjoyable activities; otherwise, there is a risk that they may opt to remain at home.”
Mr. Meena stated that at the outset, he and his fellow educators would organize teams to play alongside the students. Before long, there was a growing desire among the crowd to participate.
Despite assuming the coach position, Mr. Meena lacks formal training in cricket. The individual utilizes YouTube videos as a resource to acquire and impart new techniques to students.
After gathering a sufficient number of students, Mr. Meena established a social media account aimed at highlighting their cricketing skills. As time passed, viewers began to engage with his videos, offering suggestions on form and techniques.
Sushila joins a growing list of students from the school who have gained recognition online.
In the previous year, a student named Renuka Pargi gained widespread attention for her impressive batting abilities. A private cricket academy in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is currently providing her with enrollment and covering all her expenses.
The school and its students require more than mere visibility on social media platforms.
The village where Sushila resides and her school faces significant challenges, remaining in disrepair.
“Individuals arrive with grand commitments, yet there is no tangible change,” Mr. Meena states.
The school provides education exclusively up to the primary level, he notes.
Once students reach grade five, participation in cricket will cease. “They will have no opportunities,” he emphasizes.
Local government officials have indicated their intention to explore options for enhancing facilities for the village and its students. Officials from the forest department have been dispatched to survey to determine the feasibility of allocating land to expand the school’s cricket field.
However, there has been no development up to this point.
In the interim, Sushila’s residence is inundated with various gifts. Bats are ubiquitous despite her role as a bowler.
The teacher has reported that no one has provided her with a suitable cricket ball thus far. The balls in question present a more significant challenge than the rubber ball she currently uses for practice, and they are essential for competing at higher levels of the sport.
When questioned about her plans for the numerous bats, Sushila responded with a hint of shyness, stating that she “will try to use them.”
In the village, a pressing question looms: will Sushila’s newfound viral fame mirror the gifts she receives—drawing significant attention and excitement yet ultimately failing to change her life substantially?
