Wicketkeeper-batter M. Mamata with his mentor V. Chamundeswaranath.
Like many emerging talents in the country, M. Mamatha started playing gully cricket in the by-lanes of Alwal about six years ago. Now, at the age of 19, she has been selected and will represent India C in the BCCI Senior women’s Challenger Series in Raipur from November 17.
His journey, he says, has been “very satisfying” though full of possibilities. Despite a poor financial background, his parents — his father earns a living by ironing clothes and his mother works as a domestic help — have always supported him in pursuing his cricketing dreams. . “It was a struggle, but fortunately, my passion for cricket and the complete support of my parents fueled my ambition,” said Mamatha, elder of two girls and a wicketkeeper-batter, adding that her favorite cricketer is Indian star Smriti Mandhana.
A large part of the credit goes to the tireless support given by former Andhra captain and BCCI junior selection panel chairman V. Chamundeswaranath over the past two years. The support includes providing financial assistance of ₹20,000 per month to Mamatha to take care of the minimum expenses for her daily training sessions at the Rama Naidu Academy in Ayyappa Society (Jubilee Hills).
“He has great talent and will make it big if given the right kind of exposure,” he said.
Mamatha need not look for inspiration as former women’s cricket captain Mithali Raj also hails from the same locality. “I met him about two years ago and it was a general conversation and he was very supportive,” he added. His dream, of course, is to wear the national colors one day.
