Why it is important for cricket to be constantly reinvented, asks Anjum Chopra

“When you can’t have a crowd, whether it is in a cinema hall or a cricket stadium, then you can’t have it – it’s plain and simple. But, I don’t think that’s the reason why you should be changing the sport or the rules of the game,” Chopra was quoted as saying to Mumbai Mirror.

Recently, in a webinar conducted by the International Cricket Council which had India batter Jemimah Rodrigues and New Zealand captain Sophie Devine as guest speakers, and moderated by former Australian cricketer Mel Jones, it was discussed having shorter pitches and smaller balls considering the success of the women’s game in recent years.

“Yes, I know that there have been some interactions saying let’s change the format and bring in some innovation – and that’s alright, as far we can keep it to the discussion points. When you actually think of implementing those discussion points and try to see the practicality of it, I think it cannot be done so very easily. I don't think it should be done. Why do you need to tinker around with the game?”

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The 43-year-old opined that the current situation the world is in is just because of an external reason which has no connection with the sport. “The situation that we are all in is not because of the game. It is because of other reasons beyond sport. So, let the sport be and whenever the situation sorts itself out or whenever we are in a much better living environment, sure people will come back to the stadiums and we should be able to enjoy the sports the way we had done before we saw the start of COVID-19,” she said.

Having an athletic background, it was easier for Chopra to follow her passion for the sport and is still paving the way by batting for women’s visibility in sports. While her father is a golfer, her mother was the winner of the Goodyear car rally. Her brother represented Delhi in U-17 and U-19 cricket, uncle is a former cricketer and maternal grandfather was an athlete who later shifted to cricket commentary.

“My family understood the sport and that made it a lot easier for me. It’s always what your immediate family thinks about you as a sportsperson, and how they support you, that matters. Everybody else has their opinions. Fortunately, for me, those opinions didn’t matter. Since I come from a sports background, the culture of sports was always around, it was respected and understood,” added Chopra, who turned into a commentator post-retirement.

She also urged to strive for success every time keeping the emotions aside and try to become better every day. “I think it’s mainly self-motivation and about striving and trying to become better each day. Whatever laurels I have earned, yes, I worked towards them but each time I reached a milestone, my target has always gone further. There is no point resting on your laurels. Rather, keep your emotions in momentum and keep striving and trying to become better because there are still so many things that as an individual, as a former cricketer, as a present commentator that I can achieve. So, the idea is to keep moving and becoming better each day,” she pointed out.

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There have been speculations lately about a biopic on the life of Chopra to which she laughed initially. “Is somebody doing that? There are so many biopics being made these days, there's no harm floating one more around!” she said. Asked who she would like to portray her role in the film, the recipient of the Arjuna Award and Padma Shri suggested Rani Mukherjee.

“You know, since Rani Mukherjee already knows how to play cricket since she has already made a film on cricket, (she might be a good choice), that is only if she’s interested in doing another one and a more technical one at that!” added Chopra, the first Indian to play 100 ODIs.

“I always feel that directors and the creative guys who decide this entire thing already have a face in mind and they know exactly which kind of a person should portray a persona on-screen. So I think I can leave it on them to decide - they are the experts in this field, not me,” she laughs, signing off.