Vrinda Rathi, India’s first woman Test umpire, has been inseperable from cricket right from the start. Besides enjoying the game, playing a sport at school and college levels back in the day also meant additional marks and consideration in attendance, which was a great motivation!
Keeping Scores
Vrinda confesses that she didn’t actually follow a serious competitive sport until college. It was then that she went on to represent Mumbai University for four years. Along her cricketing journey, she met Surekha ma'am (former bowler and coach who was a mentor to several Indian women players) who taught her about scoring and how it can help improve focus and concentration. That marked her entry into the world of Match Officials as a Scorer!
The Umpire’s Call(ing)…
It was during her scoring stint at the Women’s World Cup 2013 that she first came across Kathy Cross, a woman umpire from New Zealand. Vrinda recalls that her first steps into the journey of umpiring were taken right there, along with the itch for greater involvement in the game.
Like most other sports, cricket too has been male-dominated. Moreover, the country is biased towards Indian men’s cricket. Obviously, there were challenges which Vrinda subconsciously tackled during the process, but what really mattered was her involvement in the game that she was so crazy about. She says that cricket umpiring has been a male-dominated bastion for years. ‘A girl in an umpire’s uniform is the subject of novelty, curiosity and amusement at best, or of distrust and ridicule at worst.’ The biggest challenge was acceptance from the players and stakeholders of her ability, as women are often perceived as the ‘softer gender.’ There were unsubstantiated doubts about her capability in make tough decisions or sustaining the pressures that high intensity matches could exert. ‘But as the novelty factor died down and I went on with my business as a professional, it wasn’t long before I was looked upon as just an umpire, without the prefix ‘woman’ attached to it.’
From The Maidans Of Mumbai To ICC’s Panel Of Umpires
The soul of local Mumbai Cricket rests in its ‘maidans’. As poetic as it sounds, one cannot simply ignore that these still lack facilities such as inadequate changing rooms and washrooms. It is as if the maidans have never been ready for women’s cricket. ‘As I mentioned, during those early days, in the excitement of getting a match posting and spending time in the middle, these challenges only seemed theoretical and never hindered my path. Having said that the Umpiring Committee of Mumbai Cricket Association must deserve a special mention as they have been really accommodative in aspects of match postings and have appointed me for matches at venues where logistical challenges would be minimal.’
In Her Element
Vrinda shares that when you begin, the idea is just to be associated with the game and enjoy every bit of it. Ever since she made it to the BCCI panel in 2018, life has moved in the fast lane for her. From being an absolute rookie finding her feet, to becoming a professional thrown into the deep end to stay afloat in a competitive world, everything seems surreal. ‘Every single match I’ve been involved in has enriched my skills and experience. The empanelment with ICC in 2020 was a thrilling moment. Before I could come to terms with the exhilaration that it brought, I found myself officiating in marquee events like the Commonwealth Games 2022 at Birmingham, Asian Games 2022 at Hangzhou, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, Asia Cup, Inaugural Women’s Premier League in 2023 and to top it all, the holy grail of cricket - the Women’s Test Match within a span of couple of years. It is the stuff that dreams are made of!’
She adds, ‘In the beginning of my career I would have traded anything to achieve even half of these milestones. However, the larger goal always remains to perform at my optimum level, keep enjoying the time in the middle and vindicate the trust that players and the other stakeholders’ repose in me.’
Shifting Mindsets
Vrinda feels as a country, there’s a shift in the mindsets of people. Today, parents encourage and support their daughters to take up sports professionally, which was not the case a decade ago. ‘But to excel and dominate in the field of sports at a global level, we need to bridge the gap. This can only be done by introducing sports at the grassroots level at an early age, and secondly, with more domestic leagues for varied sports. This is where domestic players get an opportunity to showcase their talent and also prepare for the bigger stage. IPL and WPL in cricket have shown how impactful these leagues can be in terms of growth and development at the global stage.’
Vrinda’s Mantra
Vrinda concludes by sharing her mantra ‘No matter what sport or vocation you take up, stay true to your love for it and the reasons you chose it. Learn to enjoy the journey with its ups and downs and don’t ignore the process in quest for quick results. Just serve your vocation with utmost honesty and passion, and providence will be gracious enough to reward you. This is specially for my fellow women friends - don’t underestimate the strength that lies within you.’