Sajana Sajeevan: From a tribal woman leader's daughter to WPL sensation

Many moons ago, when this reporter had met Sarada Sajeevan for the first time, she was a young CPI(M) candidate campaigning for the Kerala Assembly polls, her husband by her side and their five-year-old daughter in tow. Twenty-three years later, when this reporter called her again, the conversation wasn’t about politics or the local self-government, but about her daughter, Sajana. That five-year-old child has grown into a feisty cricketer, leading the Mumbai Indians to victory with a last-ball six, which happened to be the first ball she faced in the Women’s Premier League.

Sarada is, understandably, a happy and proud mother. She did not win that election in 2001, when the CPI(M) nominated her for the (then) North Wayanad constituency. But the then president of the Mananthavady panchayat and once-active leader of Kerala’s People’s Plan Campaign is now a councillor of Mananthavady Municipality.

“Sajana’s mom”

“She [Sajana] always used to say that she’s been known as Sarada Sajeevan’s daughter her whole life, but there will come a day when I will be known as Sajana’s mom. She made it happen with a single hit of the ball,” Sarada beamed as she spoke to The Federal.

Even before the sensational hit — which came in her debut WPL match — Sajana made news by becoming only the second tribal girl to feature in the WPL after Minnu Mani, her school junior. “We were all watching the match and were so tense. But I had trust in her ability and she simply displayed what she is capable of,” Sarada smiled.

More confident

Sajana’s younger brother Sachi had gone to Bengaluru to watch her play against the Gujarat Giants led by Beth Mooney. After the match, Sajana told her mother that she feels more confident now. “I was a bit nervous, but I had to do it for the team and for my future. Now that it has come through, I am confident that I can do whatever the situation demands,” she told Sarada.

The feat did not come without hiccups, though. It was only her second match under the floodlights and the lack of familiarity cost Sajana a catch, which she dropped at point. “The light was in my eyes, and it was so different out there at night. If it was a day match, there’s no way I would have dropped that catch,” Sajana told her mother.

Sajana grew up playing with the local boys, as not enough girls play or practise sports. Her parents, especially her mother Sarada, who was active in politics, did not hinder her from pursuing her passion for sports. Nor did her father Sajeevan, who drives an auto-rickshaw in the town.

Sajana began playing cricket in Class 11, having been a state-level athlete in other sports previously. She had notable achievements as the individual champion of Wayanad district, particularly excelling in javelin throw, shot-put, and high jump. It was Elsamma, the physical education teacher at VHSS Mananthavady, who redirected her focus from athletics to cricket, much like she did with Minnu Mani.

A natural athlete

“Sajana was a natural athlete, excelling in throwing events with her excellent physique. She had a remarkable ability to quickly pick up any sport she tried. It’s no small feat for someone to enter the world of cricket at 17 and become the state captain within just two years,” said Elsamma.

“She was somewhat unlucky to have surpassed the age limit for academy training offered by the KCA (Kerala Cricket Association), unlike Minnu Mani, who benefited greatly from it. It propelled her career forward. The years lost to COVID also proved costly for Sajana. Otherwise, she would have likely played for India much earlier,” Elsamma added.

“Practical option”

Sarada told The Federal that they were puzzled when Elsamma suggested that Sajana should venture into cricket. “But it seemed like a practical option at the time, considering that she would receive travelling and dearness allowance for cricket training. Having the teacher’s daughter (Anumol Baby) as a state-level cricketer was also of significant help,” narrated Sarada.

“With my busy schedule in social and political work, Sajana’s father Sajeevan was taking care of her, regularly dropping her off for practice and picking her up. Things fell into place smoothly,” Sarada told The Federal.

Series of disappointments

However, things did not really fall into place so smoothly for Sajana. Despite captaining the Kerala U-19, U-23, and senior teams, Sajana never got a national call-up, which left her disappointed. The three years lost due to COVID also proved to be very costly for her. It was during this period that the Indian team was in need of hard-hitting finishers in the T20s, a role Sajana could have potentially filled.

The 2018 Kerala floods also played the villain in Sajana’s life, as their house and surroundings were waterlogged. She could not perform well in the Challenger Trophy that year, even though she managed to travel to Bengaluru with the help of the police and other volunteers.

A politician as mother

“Yeah, when Minnu Mani, who was my junior in school, got selected for the WPL last year and then to the national squad, everyone started questioning my prospects. It was disappointing, to be honest. All I can do is keep playing well, and now that I have the opportunity to prove myself, I hope to give my best for the Mumbai Indians,” Sajana told The Federal before leaving for Mumbai for the camp.

“Amma’s popularity was truly beneficial in some ways; everyone in Wayanad knew me as Sarada Sajeevan’s daughter. But it also had its drawbacks. Many saw me as a communist, and some even warned me that I might not be considered for government jobs if the LDF government lost power next time. However, I’m not into politics; I steer clear of it,” said Sajana.

Stint in films

Sajana, a graduate in Political Science from Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur, under the University of Calicut, also tried her luck in films. She appeared in the 2018 Tamil sports drama Kanaa, written and directed by Arunraja Kamaraj and starring Shivakartikeyan and Aiswarya Rajesh.

“It was a great experience acting with Aishwarya Rajesh and Shiva Sir. I sought permission from the KCA before going, and the film turned out to be really good too,” Sajana said.

A stepping stone?

But her calling had always been cricket. “Every day, she calls us and chats with us on video calls, and she’s so happy now,” Sarada smiled. “Everybody in the team and the management is treating her well. I felt, she’s particularly close to the South African player Shabnim Ismail and the English girl Issy Wong, but she’s friendly with everyone,” Sarada added.

At the time of this report being filed, Sajana had faced only a single ball in the two matches she played in the WPL. However, she made it count, and now everyone is talking about her. Could this be a stepping stone for her to earn a spot in the Indian team? Only time will tell.