Jhulan Goswami - fighter first, cricketer second, an admirable woman in all

Those who follow women's cricket surely know her. Chances are that even those who do not, may have heard of Jhulan Goswami. Such is the skill of this player that give her a cricket ball and she can send it steaming straight at opposition batters.

The International Cricketer of the Year (2007) however is not just a talented bowler. She is a complete cricketer.

While her pace is her main claim to fame and has earned her a reputation for being a formidable foe on the cricket pitch, this player from Nadia in West Bengal can also bat her team out of sticky situations. With a personal best of 46 runs against her name, the match usually is never over till Jhulan has had a final say in it.

For the 30-year-old though, it is more about drawing first blood with the ball than striking the final blow with the bat. While international cricket for men has seen several talented pacers and seamers both burn the pitch with their speed and burn themselves eventually, Jhulan has handled the mantle of pace for India with ease, poise and a determined intent. The intent has awarded her straight back with 109 wickets from 100 ODI matches.

Babul, as she is also known, in fact has a best figure of 5/16 which can rival any other spell from a woman bowler and can make the male counterparts stand up and take note too. She also had the fifth best ODI bowling figure in all matches played last year when she claimed 4 for 17 in 8.2 against England. Yet, consistency and not numbers is what has been the trademark of this 5 feet 11 inches tall bowler.

Cricket has seen tall players. Cricket has several tales of small-town heroes becoming global icons. Cricket also has Jhulan Goswami - a cricketer who transgresses human limitations, regardless of gender, with her sheer will. Cricket also has in her, a woman who has set a high standard for players all over, again, regardless of gender.