Cricket is a way of life

For Mandira Bedi, cricket is a way of life. She is now a well-known figure among cricket lovers. From playing cricket to analysis of the game, Mandira knows it all.

"I started playing cricket when I was a kid. I would play with my brother and his friends. They allowed me to play but put me to field on the outer boundary and I always had one more player right before me because they took me to be absolutely worthless at the game. Even when my brother and I played at home, he would always play “Gavaskar” and do the batting while I was always “Chandrashekar” doing the balling’.
“I think girls should be encouraged to take up cricket in their curriculum. I remember playing squash, hockey and a host of other games, but never cricket,” says the Mumbai’s Cathedral passout.
When asked about the emphasis on cricket as against the other games she quips, “People know the players by their performance. Tennis is popular because Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupati and Sania Mirza. Anjali Bhagwat and now, Rajavendra Rathore have made shooting a more-known sport. So it is the performance of the players that affects the sport.”
As far as juggling between home and work goes, Mandira says she is lucky to have a supporting family. “It could have been very tough in other circumstances but my husband is very supportive of my passion for the game. He understands when I pick my bags and leave to attend all the matches happening around the globe.”
Coming back to the topic of the Indian teams performance she says, “I find a total loss of a team spirit in the Indian team. I have seen the Australian team hang out together, attend parties and go to the pubs as a group, but the Indians were always in twos or threes. As a group, the Australian team is so strong… this strength helps them to win and now winning has become a habit with them.”
Mandira hopes the Indian team will bag the Natwest series. “I am positive that they will make it to finals, but so will Australia. It is upto them to crack the Australian team this time.”
When asked what keeps her going with her hectic schedules, she says, “I stay fit and I am in love with the game. I just love the work I do, I feel so fortunate to be in the place I am today. I hope I can continue doing this all my life.”

Published in industan Times Next on September 1, 2004