'I did everything I could for India': Punam Raut on retirement and her unfinished comeback dream

Punam Raut struggled to get back into the Indian team for four years. She scored runs in domestic cricket, recovered from illness and worked on a comeback. But the call never came.Her last international appearance was in 2021. When Raut announced her retirement earlier this month, it wasn’t because she wanted to stop playing for India. It was because she began to realize that the return she sought might not happen.“I always wanted to come back to the Indian team,” Raut tells TimesofIndia.com. “Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.”Raut represented India for over 12 years and scored 2,299 runs in 73 ODIs. Her career included 86 against England in the 2017 Women’s World Cup final and a world record 320-run opening partnership with Deepti Sharma against Ireland that year.India lost the World Cup final at Lord’s by nine runs, but the campaign helped change the perception of women’s cricket in the country. For Raut, the memories go beyond the runs. He remembers the messages from young girls whose parents started encouraging them to play cricket after watching India.Her own journey began when women’s cricket offered few career guarantees. Her father needed financial help from his employer to buy her first cricket kit. Now, after retiring from international cricket, Raut wants to focus on coaching and mentoring the next generation.In an exclusive interview with the website, she talks about the comeback that never happened, the people who supported her and the innings that helped inspire a generation.excerpts:After playing international cricket for over 12 years, your last appearance for India came in 2021. What happened in the last four years that eventually led to your retirement?My only goal during these four years was to get back on the scene. I had two very good domestic seasons, finishing among the leading run-scorers and doing well in multi-day cricket. But I couldn’t be chosen, and that’s good.The voters are focusing on the youth and I felt it was becoming difficult to continue at this stage of my career. Since my childhood, it was my dream to represent India. I lived the dream and achieved my goal. I did everything I could for the country, although I always wanted to return to the team.Before last year’s domestic season, I had dengue and then pneumonia. I had a lot of joint pain and was trying to recover. I worked hard to get back in shape, but I realized my body wasn’t going to recover the way it used to. That also contributed to my decision.I have been mentoring young cricketers for four years now. Many were 10-12 when I started working with them; today they are 14-15 and approaching competitive level. I felt that if I continued playing for another two or three years, I wouldn’t have to give them the time they needed at this crucial stage.It was a very difficult decision. When you play cricket for so long, retirement is never easy.Your 86 in the 2017 Women’s World Cup final against England remains one of the most memorable innings of your career. India fell painfully short of the target. What does this shift mean to you today?I am very grateful to have been able to contribute when India needed it most. We didn’t get the result, but I feel like we gave everything we had. That’s how sports are sometimes.I also scored a hundred against Australia and contributed against Pakistan. I was among India’s top scorers in this World Cup. Whatever I had to give, I gave it my all in that tournament.At that time there was not much money in women’s cricket and not many people followed it. But the way we played changed a lot of people’s perspective.The night before the finals, I couldn’t sleep, so I opened Facebook and Instagram and started reading the messages I received. There were messages from young girls and seniors. I was very emotional.A lot of girls have told me that they were able to play cricket because of us. Some said their fathers encouraged them to take up the sport after watching us perform. Imagine parents who earlier refused to let their daughters play cricket now encourage them to take it up.Some girls have even told me they want to cut their hair like Punam Di!There were also elderly people who also sent their blessings and prayers. Reading these reports made me realize that we really did make a difference.You made your debut in India at a time when women’s cricket did not enjoy the recognition it receives today. How difficult was it to make this dream come true, especially when it came to convincing your parents and getting the necessary support?It was very difficult. My parents supported me at a time when cricket was hardly considered a career option for girls.Despite this, they never doubted me or asked me to change my mind. I told them that I love the game so much that I could play all day without getting tired.The very next day, my father took me to buy a cricket kit and signed me up for coaching. His financial situation was not particularly strong. During the 2017 World Cup, he told me that his boss helped him financially when he needed money for my equipment and training.You won’t believe how much that set meant to me. The moment I received it, my excitement doubled. Everything I saw on TV suddenly became reality.I used this set cautiously for about five years because I knew how special it was. The bat, pads and helmet meant so much to me because they represented the beginning of my journey.My parents also faced criticism from those around them, but they continued to support me. They believed in me and that played a huge role in me getting into the Indian team.Indian women’s cricket has made significant progress, with the team winning the 2025 World Cup. Having seen how the game has evolved over the years, where do you think Indian women’s cricket still needs to improve to achieve sustained dominance at the global level?We have the talent to dominate women’s cricket and I am confident that the day will come when we will consistently dominate teams like Australia, South Africa and England.One of the main reasons for my confidence is the support given by BCCI. Girls are getting more matches and opportunities than ever before. We used to play one or two international series a year and then go straight to the World Cup. That no longer applies. The team now plays year-round and gets more exposure against different opponents.The Women’s Premier League has also made a huge difference. Many players who have represented India have benefited from the platform it provides.The journey from domestic cricket to international level has also improved. Players get opportunities through WPL matches, India A and age group tournaments. The U19 Women’s World Cup and national premier league competitions are creating more opportunities for young women cricketers.

Poonam Raut with Jhulan Goswami

You shared a dressing room with Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, both successfully led teams. What do you think of their leadership and how do you see Smriti’s experience as a captain shaping India’s future?Harmanpreet has done a tremendous job as captain. She led India to the Women’s World Cup title, which is a historic achievement and deserves a lot of credit.Smriti also showed what she can do as a leader. She captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the WPL title, a significant achievement.I believe Smriti can do very good for India. He has the confidence to lead and I’ve always felt that he tends to bat even better when he’s captained. He has the experience, ability and temperament to move the team forward.In 2017, you and Deepti Sharma put together a record 320-run opening partnership against Ireland. Deepti was still a young player while you had considerably more experience. How did this partnership develop and when did you realize you were making history?Deepti opened up with me for the first time because Smriti was hurt. We were playing a four-way series and Smriti was undergoing rehab before the World Cup.We both focused on a good preparation for the World Cup. We wanted to give India a good start and that was our priority throughout the innings.That series was special for me because I came back to international cricket. I was dropped in 2016 and spent about eight to ten months out of the team. During that time I played domestic cricket and scored a lot of runs.When I came back, I wanted to make the most of the opportunity and contribute to the success of the team. Deepti, despite being younger, responded very positively. She was a good batting partner.You have now retired from international cricket but continue to work with young cricketers. What are your future plans? Would you like to devote yourself fully to coaching and mentoring, or are you open to other roles in cricket?For now, I’m focusing on what’s in my hands. I enjoy working with youth and I want to continue it.There will be opportunities in the future, whether in commentating, selection, administration, coaching or mentoring. I’m open to exploring them, but at the moment I’m happy with what I’m doing.Working with young players gives you time to develop them properly. You can work on their technical skills, tactical understanding and thinking. When you see them improve and eventually achieve success, the satisfaction is incredible.What would you like to say to young cricketers who dream of playing for India or making it to the WPL but expect success to come quickly?Success doesn’t come overnight. You have to spend time, sometimes years, before you start seeing results.Many youngsters tell me they want to play state cricket next year or get into the WPL as soon as possible. But that’s not how sports work. You have to be patient and understand that development takes time.If you want to take up cricket or any sport professionally, you need to be disciplined and dedicated. Don’t look for shortcuts. Don’t run after success. Be patient, believe in yourself and keep working hard.One message for your fans?I am extremely grateful to all my fans and supporters. When I announced my retirement, I received so many messages and was truly overwhelmed by the love and support.I am also grateful to the media for recognizing my performances and recognizing my contribution to Indian cricket. I feel lucky to have such an amazing fan following.I will continue to stay in touch with my fans through Instagram and other social media platforms. I hope to share my experiences, connect with people and add value in any way I can.Please love me and support me like this. I am really grateful to all of you.