Shantha Rangaswamy, the former captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, has been elected as the president of the Indian Cricketers’ Association (ICA), with former Delhi opener Venkat Sundaram taking up the role of secretary.
Deepak Jain will serve as treasurer while Jyoti Thatte and Santhosh Subramoniam will join as representative members.
The ICA Council has appointed former women’s team captains Sudha Shah and Shubhangi Kulkarni to represent the association in the BCCI Apex Council and the IPL Governing Council.
Representing the men in the BCCI Apex Council is V Chamundeswara Nath, popularly known as Chamundi, of the Hyderabad Cricket Association.
“This election marks a significant moment for the ICA, with two women now serving on the ICA Board and for the first time a female President and a woman nominated to the IPL Board of Governors – reflecting the association’s commitment to inclusive representation and progressive leadership,” the release said.
Shantha Rangaswamy, an iconic character
Born in 1954 in Chennai, Rangaswamy is a pioneer in Indian women’s cricket. In 1976, she became the first female captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, leading them to their inaugural Test match victory against the West Indies in Patna.
An all-rounder, Rangaswamy played 16 Test matches between 1976 and 1991, scoring 750 runs at an average of 32.60, including a historic century against New Zealand in 1977 – the first Indian cricketer to score in a Test match. She also took 21 Test wickets and captained the team in eight matches.
In addition, she represented India in 19 ODIs from 1981 to 1986 and led the side in 16 matches.
Rangaswamy’s contributions to cricket were recognized early in her career when she received the Arjuna Award in 1976, becoming the first female cricketer to do so. In 2017, she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Women by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), further cementing her legacy in the sport.
After her playing days, Rangaswamy continued to contribute to cricket as a coach, selector and commentator, inspiring future generations of women cricketers in India.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
October 17, 2025
