Sushila Meena: How Sachin Tendulkar made this Indian girl an online cricket star

Until a few days ago, 10-year-old Sushila Meena lived an ordinary existence, far from the common gaze, in a small town in the north Indian state of Rajasthan.

But everything changed when legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar shared a video on social media of her playing cricket, bringing her into the media spotlight.

He praised her ball performance and claimed that it resembled past American bowling Zaheer Khan, who was known for his reliability, swing, brilliant ball variations, and distinctive bowling action.

The film was a hit right away, and while it has been shared by tens of thousands of people and watched by thousands, there is an humorous twist that the child does not recognize the baseball legend who made her famous.

” I don’t know who he]Sachin Tendulkar ] is”, Sushila says, explaining that her family doesn’t own a television and she has never watched cricket.

Yet, she is thankful to him.

Sushila, who is from a bad cultural family, is now being recognised and appreciated by all she meets. Everyone wants a photo with her, from politicians to interpersonal activists to actually distant relatives.

Sushila struggles to come up with the appropriate words to sum up this novel truth. She just smiles and poses for pictures, still baffled by her new fame.

But as soon as she sports a rubber ball in her hand and wears her school dress, the timid girl transforms into someone brave, strong, and focused.

” When the ball is in my hands, all I can believe about is getting the flour out”, she says.

Her student Asha, who is often on the other side with a pitcher in her hands, describes Sushila’s ball as “difficult”.

” Her basketball turns quickly and then immediately hits the wicket”, she says.

At house, Sushila’s family Shantibai is proud of what her child has achieved.

She says that while many are eager to meet her, not everyone has been friendly.

A few people have questioned the kids for allowing their child to play baseball rather than do housework.

These sentiments are prevalent in rural India, where women are frequently expected to stay at home and dissuaded from engaging in activities or extracurricular activities outside of traditional gender roles.

” I don’t say anything to them, nor do I talk to what they are saying”, Shantibai says.

” I will not prevent her from playing baseball”.

People in Sushila’s school plays baseball and the payment for it goes to their tutor, Ishwarlal Meena.

When I started encouraging individuals to perform baseball in 2017, he says. ” A entertaining activity is needed to keep them engaged at school- then, they may stay at home”.

Mr. Meena claims that he and another teachers would form groups and collaborate with them to form teams. Soon, people wanted to play along.

Mr. Meena has no proper baseball education, despite taking on the role of their trainer. He keeps track of his students ‘ learning and applying new approaches through YouTube videos.

Mr. Meena set up a social media account to promote their sport talent once he had sufficiently students. People began posting responses to his videos gradually; some yet offered advice on variety and techniques.

Sushila is not the first college student to become a popular online ad.

Last month, another scholar, Renuka Pargi, went viral for her bat skills. She is presently enrolled at a personal bowling academy- which even pays all her expenses- in Rajasthan country’s capital, Jaipur.

However, the school and the students present here require more than just social media attention.

Sushila’s village and her school remain in poor condition.

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

He goes on to say that the school doesn’t offer education until primary school.

” Once they cross grade five, the cricket will stop. They will have no opportunities”, he points out.

Local government representatives say they will look into what can be done to improve the village’s and its students ‘ facilities. The forest department has requested some officials from the department to conduct a survey and determine whether the school could purchase some land to extend its cricket field.

But nothing has yet to come.

Meanwhile, Sushila’s home is flooded with gifts. There are bats everywhere, even though she is a bowler.

No one has yet given her a proper cricket ball, according to her teacher. They are much more difficult than the rubber ball she uses at the moment, and they require more advanced levels of the sport.

When Sushila is questioned about what she will do with so many bats, she shyly responds,” Would try to use them.”

The big question in the village is whether Sushila’s viral fame will end up like the presents she receives, which include a lot of excitement and attention, but ultimately making no difference to her life.

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