Full fledged women's IPL will help unearth new talent, feels Jemimah Rodrigues

Young India batswoman Jemimah Rodrigues believes a full-fledged women's Indian Premier League (IPL) can make a difference by unearthing talent such as Shafali Verma which would help national team do well at global level. Countries such as Australia and England organised T20 tournaments for women to develop game and 19-year-old Rodrigues believes same will happen in India if re's a women's IPL. "If you see Big Bash and Kia Super League have developed game out re so much for Australia, England and w even New Zealand has started. That's (IPL) definitely going to develop game and it's also going to get newer talent," Rodrigues said on ICC's '100% Cricket'.

'Full-fledged women's IPL...' 

She cited example of 16-year-old Shafali, who shone at ICC Women's T20 World Cup with her explosive batting, as one of finds of IPL.

"We came to kw about Shafali Verma through IPL, she did so well in IPL. We knew she could do well in domestic circuit but after that playing against international players and being  that fearless person we can get many more talents rising up playing such matches," she said.

Rodrigues feels playing in IPL will t only help develop game in country but also bolster Indian team's bench strength.

"Definitely it is going to develop game so much and also give a lot of bench strength to India."

BCCI has hosted women's IPL exhibition matches in last two years but has said a full-fledged tournament will take some time to take shape. Board had decided to organise a four-team women's T20 challenge to run parallel to men's IPL play-offs with a total of seven matches to be played . Ackwledging BCCI's efforts to expand women's IPL, Rodrigues said tournament was a great learning experience for Indian players who got opportunity to rub shoulders with veterans of game.

"Playing matches in front of a crowd its a different experience, that's what's going to help us play international cricket alongside experience we are going to get sharing dressing room with Sophie Devine, Meg Lanning, we ourselves will get to learn so much.

"It will be great to have a women's IPL, BCCI are on it, and hopefully soon we will be having a proper women's IPL," she added.

She also backed idea of increasing maximum number of overs for bowlers in a match. "It makes a lot of difference you can go in with five bowlers in side relying on that one of m will get an extra over. If anyone fails you can add up even to your batting order. "I think it makes a lot of difference specially at crucial moments . When a bowler can win match for you re is thing like it. I believe bowlers win matches for us," she added. 

Im credits: PTI / Twitter