Former woman cricketers who are now IPL commentators

Some former women cricketers from around the world, who were once the stars on the cricket field, have graduated to becoming commentators of the IPL. Gone are the days when these women would play the gentleman’s game with as much finesse as men. They are now busy examining IPL matches, alongside men, while adding a pinch of glamour to a game, which is a reason for many to smile every single day. Here's taking a look at some of them...

Isa Guha: It wouldn’t be wrong if we call Isa Tara Guha a beauty with brains. While the former English cricketer has made an impact with her analysis of the game, her stupendous style statement is an icing on the cake, especially in the times when cricket has been so much glamourised. Isa was the first woman of Indian origin to represent England. In a career spanning 10 years, she played eight Tests, 83 ODIs and 22 Twenty20 internationals. It is Isa’s second innings as a cricket expert in the IPL. Despite being an Indian by origin, Isa is a strong supporter of England, and has even said that the Asian families based in England should support England and not their country of birth.

Anjum Chopra: If one is talking about women’s cricket in India, Anjum Chopra’s name cannot be missed out. She is the first Indian woman to score an ODI hundred, and the first Indian woman to win a Test series abroad. And if that is not enough to surprise anyone, Anjum was also the captain of the team which whitewashed England by 5-0 in a series played at home ground. The Padma Shri and Arjuna awardee has played 12 Tests and 116 ODIs for the country. Today, she is one of the most reliable faces on Indian television when it comes to cricket analysis.

Melanie Jones: The former Australian cricketer played five Tests and 61 ODIs in 1998 and 2003. The right-handed batsman was also an occasional right-arm medium pace bowler. Melanie would also surprise the fellow cricketers with her fielding skills. She was not at all anticipating an offer from the BCCI or the IPL to join the commentary panel. Her years of experience of playing cricket is evident from her commentary.

Lisa Sthalekar: Lisa Sthalekar is known to be one of the major women cricketers the world has ever seen. The former all-rounder was not just a superb off-spin bowler, but was also simply great with the bat. Add to it her brilliant fielding skills which would often create trouble for the opponents. Although Lisa played for Australia, she was born in India. During her respectable cricketing career, she played eight Tests and 125 One-Day Internationals, besides 54 Twenty20 internationals. She is also the first woman in the history of one-day international cricket to have scored 1000 runs and picked up 100 wickets. She retired a champion after Australia won Women's Cricket World Cup 2013. The girl is now a commentator in the IPL. About her journey from bat and ball to microphone, she says, “As an athlete, you never had to worry about makeup, except for the sunscreen. Fingers crossed, now my feminine side comes to the surface.” [sic]