A week after Tushar Arothe had to resign as coach of the Indian women’s cricket team, former captain Mamatha Maben has thrown her hat in the ring for the job.

The 47-year-old Maben has over 10 years of experience as coach and has played with veterans Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami internationally, as well as played with Veda Krisnamurthy in Karnataka.

“I saw the advert, I fulfill all the criteria they have asked for experience-wise. A lot of people prompted me and I am a professional coach and I fulfill all the criteria they have asked for in that so I thought why not. Having led the country, I am confident that it will give me a psychological edge with the girls.” she told The Field.

“Having been a cricket coach for 10 years, this is a natural progression. It maybe a long shot but worth it,” she added.

Maben, who made her India debut back in 1993, has her ear to the ground, so to speak, having been active in Karnataka cricket. The veteran of four Tests and 40 ODIs is a BCCI Level 1 coach and has worked in China and Bangladesh, where she was initially in charge of the team that went on to beat India twice at the 2018 Asia Cup prompting the removal of Arothe. By the time, Bangladesh beat India, Anju Jain had taken over as coach but much of the initial work was done by Maben.

Former cricketer Ramesh Powar is currently the interim coach while BCCI shortlist candidates. Of the criteria given, Maben matches most, being under 55 years of age and having experience as both an international player and coach. After her stint with the Bangladesh team, she coached the Rajasthan team before taking a break to be with her ailing mother in Bangalore.

“In the 10 years as coach I have learned a lot, I have been close to met some international coaches as well from whom I have picked up things. Given an opportunity I’ll be able to help the Indian team. But at end of the day India matters, so whoever is best suited should be picked,” she said.

Male vs female coach

The position of Indian women’s team has not been the most stable in the recent past with two coaches being removed in two years. Before Arothe, Purnima Rau was let go ahead of the World Cup last year. Rau had said that the team was looking for a male coach then, an assessment Maben is well aware of.

“Frankly speaking, they are looking for male coaches, I knew it from the onset that a lot of men will be in the fray. But if I can’t apply for a job as the women’s team coach, which job would I apply? Whether I get it, or not is beside the point. Nevertheless, I have thrown my hat in the ring, if they find I can do the job, I would be glad to do it whole heartedly,” she said.

On probing further about the gender disparity in the field, she said that despite perceptions around physicality, a woman coach will hold an advantage.

“I feel the perception is that men are more physically competent and that they are a little advanced with the technical aspects of the game. It’s a fair call, but you cannot generalise as there are women today who have kept abreast with the technology.

“Then, there is the psychological factor, being a woman cricketer who has played with some of them and having led the country, I would understand some of the international pressures that they have to handle.

There is a 25% difference in psychology in how men and women play the game. How men play we cannot apply to women completely, 75% is the same. There are very few men who understand this, there are some I have come across, but not everyone does.” she added.

“Things have changed in women’s cricket, the practice methodology and training has changed with a lot of power hitting coming in, but many women are up to date with the changes. I am glad I put my hat in the ring because they would at least know there is a woman cricketer who is trained professionally,” the 47-year-old asserted.

She went on to talk about the space for women’s coaches today. In her interview with The Field, Rau had raised questions on the place of women’s coaches in India given this discrimination. But Maben wants to change this perception and cites former India cricketer and coach Anju Jain’s success as Bangladesh coach.

“Yes, there is very little domain for women, but eventually everyone aspires to be at the top of their profession, in that regard I felt that I should put my name.

Look at Bangladesh. I have trained them for two years and it is the same bunch that won the Asia Cup, they came of age under Anju. A woman coach from India has beaten us twice, cannot be a fluke right?” she went on to explain.

But at the end of the day, the welfare of Indian cricket is paramount for the former captain. “It should not be about male or female, but most competent and most deserving candidate,” she said.

A former captain with a good track record, Maben will definitely among the most competent list. The interviews for the shortlisted candidates will be in Mumbai soon, as the team currently gears up for a tour of Sri Lanka and then the all important World Twenty20 in November.