'Indian Women's Cricket Team Can Dominate World Cricket In Next Two Years,' Says Head Coach Amol Muzumdar

Mumbai: Indian women's cricket team head coach Amol Muzumdar believes the side has the potential to dominate world cricket consistently within the next two years, with a strong pool of young talent emerging from the country's age-group cricket structure.

India won their maiden 50-over World Cup at home last November but are yet to claim a major T20I title. Muzumdar and newly appointed captain Smriti Mandhana will have an opportunity to address that gap during the inaugural six-team ICC T20I Champions Trophy in Mumbai and Vadodara.

Speaking at an event organised by the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai (SJAM), Muzumdar emphasised that establishing India's dominance across white-ball formats remained a key objective.

"Two years down the line, if they start dominating world cricket... dominance is something that we have always spoken about within the squad. Being ruthless on the ground is another thing that we have always maintained," he said.

Drawing parallels with his playing days in Mumbai cricket, Muzumdar said he wanted to instil the same competitive spirit in the national team.

"We're already on that path. Some amazing talents are coming through," he said, expressing confidence in the next generation of cricketers.

Muzumdar particularly praised the work being undertaken at the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) Centre of Excellence (CoE), where promising players undergo specialised training.

"The talent that I've seen at the CoE, where they happen to have the U-15, U-19, and India A camps. The work that happens at the Centre of Excellence is superb. The camps are a good reflection of where Indian women's cricket is at the moment," he said.

He noted that emerging players were adapting to modern cricket's demands much faster than previous generations.

"There are some terrific players coming through. You'll be surprised how soon they catch up. We took a long time to adjust to certain demands. But they are tuned in. They are professionals," he added.

The former Mumbai batter highlighted the professionalism of younger cricketers, particularly their awareness of fitness, nutrition and fielding standards.

"Even U-15 players, the athletes are professionals. They understand the nutrition part of the game, the fitness part, and they're terrific fielders. They're good athletes," he said.

Muzumdar also outlined his coaching philosophy, which draws heavily from the principles of legendary Mumbai coach Ramakant Achrekar, who mentored Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli.

"We play to win. There is no second thought in that and that came from where I grew up. There is no substitute. In my mind, I was really clear that winning is everything," he said.

He identified discipline and training intensity as two non-negotiable aspects of his coaching approach.

"In the dressing room, there is a cricket ethic that everyone tries to follow. We try to inculcate certain things in the training sessions," he said.

Reflecting on India's historic ODI World Cup triumph, Muzumdar credited dressing room unity and a positive team environment for the success.

"The unity in the camp and the dressing room atmosphere… because of that unity, the dressing room atmosphere was very light. There was a little bit of a buzz around the dressing room, which I love to create," he said.

Recalling similar experiences during his playing career in the 1990s, Muzumdar maintained that a vibrant dressing room atmosphere often translated into better performances on the field.

"So, I think if I have to pinpoint one, it is unity in the camp and just the buzz in the dressing room," he added.