Bhola Kumar loves cricket, so much so that he enrolled his daughter, Kinjal, at Mosman Cricket Club in Sydney where she was coached by none other than test cricketer Stuart McGill.
"At first I did not like it. I did not like going there. But once I started hitting the ball with the bat, I fell in love with the game," says Kinjal who is recognised as a rising start of cricket in New South Wales after her recent performances at the state challenge.
According to Cricket NSW's regional coaching and talent specialist, Stephen Davies, Kumari was an outstanding player during the Under-15 Female State Challenge, playing for Metro Thunder.
The 13-year-old scored 72 runs and got out only once in three matches; she also claimed three wickets at the economy rate of just 3.57 throughout the tournament.
Source: Vivek Asri/SBS
Kinjal's family moved to Australia when she was two years old. Her father, Bhola, used to play locally with other community members. It was then that he began taking her to his games.
"My family did not like the game much, but I wanted to have cricket around me. So I pushed Kinjal towards it," says Bhola Kumar.
'Girls don't sledge'
Five years on, she now also plays cricket with boys.
“I think, in India, it might make a difference but here it is the same how the boys get selected and everything so it is same," says Kinjal.
"I have played with boys. It was a good experience. They were all very kind. It was very different from girls' cricket because the way they play is very different to us. They play cricket more aggressively. They sledge a lot. Girls don't sledge. Sometimes I feel like sledging, but I do not,” Kinjal says.
Bhola Kumar is a proud father now and is always present when Kinjal is playing.
“I know my dad feels proud of me. Whenever I score good runs, he is always standing in one position, and if I play a bad shot, he keeps walking. And when I hit another good shot, he stays in that position. I like it when he does that,” says Kumari who wants play cricket for Australia at the highest level.
Kinjal she feels lucky to be in Australia.
“My perception in India I don't think women's sports is as big as men's sport. So if I was in India, I do not think I would get many opportunities.”
Source: Vivek Asri/SBS
However, she says she still loves India. “I love India a lot. It is a great place to be. People, there are nice. Everything there is just beautiful.”
One of the greatest Indian cricketers, MS Dhoni is Kinjal’s favourite despite the difference in playing style of the two.
”I am more of a sensible batter. I do not really like slogging that much. I like one day cricket more, but I feel like I am more of a test cricketer because I like playing slow. I don't like hitting the ball a lot very early. I like staying, and I do not want to get out. That is the main thing. But I still admire Dhoni.”
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