How Sachin Tendulkar made this Indian girl an online cricket star

Until a few days ago, 10-year-old Sushila Meena was living an ordinary life, away from the public eye, in a small village in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan.

But everything changed with the arrival of the great cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. shared A video of him playing cricket on social media brought him into the media limelight.

He praised his bowling action and said it reflected former Indian bowler Zaheer Khan – who was known for his accuracy, swing, clever variations with the ball and a distinct bowling action.

The video became an instant hit and while it has been watched by millions and shared by thousands, it has an ironic twist – the girl doesn’t recognize the cricket icon who made her famous.

“I don’t know who he (Sachin Tendulkar) is,” says Sushila, adding that her family does not own a television and has never watched cricket.

However, he is grateful to them.

Sushila, who hails from a poor tribal family, is now recognized and appreciated by everyone she meets. From politicians to social workers and even distant relatives, everyone now wants a picture with them.

Sushila struggles to find the right words to describe this new reality. She simply smiles and poses for photos, still in awe of her newfound fame.

But as soon as she wears her school uniform and takes to the field with a rubber ball in her hand, the shy girl transforms into a fearless, strong and focused person.

“Once the ball is in my hands, all I can think about is getting the batsman out,” she says.

Her classmate Asha, who is often on the other side with a bat in her hand, describes Sushila’s bowling as “difficult”.

“His ball spins unpredictably and then suddenly hits the wicket,” she says.

At home, Sushila’s mother Shantibai is proud of her daughter’s achievement.

She says that although many people are eager to meet her, not everyone is supporting her.

Some people have questioned parents for allowing their daughter to play cricket instead of doing household work.

Such opinions are common in parts of rural India, where girls are often expected to stay at home and discouraged from doing sports or activities outside of traditional gender roles.

“I don’t say anything to them, nor do I listen to what they say,” says Shantibai.

“I will never stop him from playing cricket.”

Everyone in Sushila’s school plays cricket and the credit for this goes to her teacher Ishwarlal Meena.

“When I joined in 2017, I started encouraging students to play cricket,” he says. “They need a recreational activity to keep them engaged in school – otherwise, they would stay at home. “

Mr Meena says that in the beginning, he and other teachers used to form teams and let the students play with them. Soon everyone wanted to join in.

Even though he has taken up the role of his coach, Mr Meena has no formal cricket training. He watches YouTube videos to learn and teach new techniques to students.

Once he had enough students, Mr Meena created a social media account to showcase their cricket talents. Gradually people started responding to his videos – some even gave suggestions on form and techniques.

Sushila is not the first student from the school to become an internet sensation.

Last year, another student, Renuka Pargi, went viral for her batting skills. He is currently enrolled in a private cricket academy in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan state – which also pays for all his expenses.

But the school and its students need to pay attention to more than just social media.

The condition of Sushila’s village and her school remains poor.

“People come, make big promises, but nothing changes,” says Mr Meena.

He says that the school provides education only up to the primary level.

He explains, “Once they cross grade five, cricket will stop. They will have no opportunities.”

Local government officials say they will see what can be done to provide better facilities to the village and its students. The forest department has sent some officials to survey and check whether the school can be given some land to expand its cricket ground.

But nothing has happened till now.

Meanwhile, Sushila’s house is filled with gifts. There are bats everywhere, even though he is a bowler.

His teacher says that no one has given him a proper cricket ball yet. They are much harder than the rubber balls she currently practices with and are required to play a higher level of the game.

When Sushila is asked what she will do with so many bats, she shyly says that she will “try to use them”.

Meanwhile, the big question in the village is whether Sushila’s viral fame will end up like the gifts she gets – lots of attention and excitement, but ultimately no real difference to her life.

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