India U19 World Cup winners will learn a lot if they get to play in Women’s Premier League: Nooshin Al Khadeer

India Women’s U19 T20 World Cup-winning coach Nooshin Al Khadeer believes that her pupils will get to “understand how things work at senior level” if they get a chance to play.

In the Women’s Premier League (WPL). The much-anticipated inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League will be held in Mumbai from March 4 to 26. A total of 22 matches will be played, with the Brabourne Stadium and D.Y. Patil Stadium playing hosts to the marquee five-team tournament. Ahead of the league, 409 cricketers – 246 Indians and 163 overseas players (including eight from associate nations) will go under the hammer on February 13 in Mumbai.

Among the 246 Indians, U19 T20 World Cup 2023 champions like Shafali Verma, Shweta Sehrawat, Parshavi Chopra, and Titas Sadhu have been shortlisted for the Women’s Premier League auction.

Nooshin, who has been named as the bowling coach of Adani Sportsline’s Gujarat Giants, told IndiaToday.in that she has asked the U19 winners to enjoy the journey as the victory has still not sunk in for them.

“We are looking forward to a very good unit to work around with. I think the auction will be one place after that we will start applying ourselves towards the strategies,” Nooshin told IndiaToday.in. “I am here to give the right opinion about the players I feel are most suitable for the team environment. I won’t say I would be too biased but I have always worked around where you know I wanted a balanced unit which is what all coaches look out for. I will still stick to that.”

The former India cricketer-turned-coach Nooshin further said that if the U19 champions get an opportunity to play in the Women’s Premier League, then it would be a good experience for them as they will get to rub shoulders with the international players.

“There is too much talent there. The U19 side has done quite well. They became the champions. U19 for them to actually sink that they are world champions, I don’t think that has still gone for now. Anybody that contacted me asking how they will be placed in the WPL, I have told them they need to just enjoy the journey, what they have done for India,” said Nooshin.

“If they get that kind of opportunity (to play in WPL), why not? They have brought laurels for the country. With WPL, I’m sure they are going to learn a lot because they will be rubbing shoulders with international players, and understanding how things are at the senior level. So yeah, it will be a fantastic experience. Too much to count on talent, they are all very talented but I wouldn’t name anyone as such.”

WORKING WITH MITHALI

Adani Sportsline appointed India batting legend Mithali Raj as the mentor and advisor of Gujarat Giants. For Nooshin, working with her childhood friend and former India teammate Mithali will not be a new experience as the two have been making strategies for the Railways team in the domestic tournaments for quite some time. Nooshin, who joined the Railways team soon after guiding India to Women’s U19 glory, said: “We have played for a really long time. We discuss a lot about cricket, the ifs, buts, why, and when.

“Before getting into this franchise, we were working together for Railways. We have our own conversations regarding cricket, so it is not going to be new for me or for her to get into these cricketing roles. We are actually part of this journey because it was cricket that connected us so we are still living that as well,” added Nooshin.

INEXPERIENCED HEAD COACH

Former Australia cricketer, T20 and ODI World Cup champion, and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Rachael Haynes (head coach), former India women’s head coach Tushar Arothe (batting coach) and New South Wales Breakers coach Gavan Twining (fielding coach) complete the coaching staff of Gujarat Giants. All are coming on the back of some coaching experience except Haynes, who retired from all forms of cricket in September 2022.

Nooshin, however, said that it does not matter who has got more or less experience, but stressed that she is eagerly waiting to see what tactics Haynes would bring in. “We (Rachael and I) have connected a couple of times. When your heads are together to do something big, things really don’t matter who has got more experience or who has got less experience.

“What she (Haynes) gets on the table, I’m sure it is going to help all of us grow and vice versa. She has been part of a team (Australia) that is world champion. So, I’m looking forward to see what kind of tactics she can come out with. And it is going to be a learning process. Everybody you meet in your life they are going to teach you something. It is important how you accept it and take it in a positive way so I’m really looking forward,” added Nooshin.