The Hundred Women 2023: Richa Ghosh set to represent London Spirit as Georgia Redmayne’s replacement

Richa Ghosh. (Photo Source: MARCO LONGARI/AFP via Getty Images)

The 19-year-old Indian wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh has become the third Indian player to secure a contract in The Hundred Women for the upcoming 2023 season. Ghosh, stepping in for the injured Georgia Redmayne, will be joining London Spirit, alongside her compatriots Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, who have been retained by Southern Brave and Trent Rockets respectively.

As male Indian players are not allowed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India to participate in overseas leagues, their female counterparts have been actively involved in tournaments like The Hundred and the Women’s Big Bash League. Ghosh’s inclusion in The Hundred is yet another opportunity for her to showcase her skills in a big tournament.

Despite a notable difference in remuneration, with Ghosh set to earn £12,500 (approximately INR 13 lakh) in The Hundred, compared to the £180,000 (INR 1.9 crore) she received from Royal Challengers Bangalore in the inaugural Women’s Premier League earlier this year, the young hard-hitting batter will be eager to utilize this platform to further her development as a player.

Her captain at London Spirit will be none other than the England skipper, Heather Knight, who is currently leading her team really well against arch-rivals Australia in the ongoing Women’s Ashes. After winning the T20I leg of the ongoing series, she is on the verge of taking her team home in the three-match ODI series.

The announcement of Ghosh’s inclusion in The Hundred was made by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Thursday morning, along with several other signings in the women’s competition. Spirit have also secured the services of Lauren Filer, who recently made her Test debut for England, through the open-market process that followed the March draft.

In other notable transfers, Emily Windsor, who played for Oval Invincibles in the 2022 edition, has joined Welsh Fire for the upcoming season, while Trent Rockets have signed former England middle-order batter Fran Wilson.

The excitement continues to build as The Hundred Women’s Competition 2023 is set to commence on August 1, with an intriguing clash between Trent Rockets Women and Southern Brave Women scheduled as the opening match. Cricket enthusiasts worldwide eagerly anticipate witnessing the talent, competitiveness, and camaraderie that the tournament promises to deliver.