Mumbai: Legendary cricket coach Ramakant Achrekar has left not just a resonant legacy for cricket icons like Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli, but also his youngest of five daughters, Kalpana Achrekar-Murkar, who now helms the ‘Glorious Cricket Club’ at Achrekar Cricket Academy, Shivaji Park.
A 58-year-old former cricket player herself, Kalpana graduated in commerce and law with the aim to secure a job in the railways. In 1989, though, she took to coaching under her father’s guidance, later coaching University of Mumbai’s women’s cricket team and even representing it at the all-India level.
Kalpana Achrekar-Murkar's Impact On Cricket Building Players
Discovering and honing talent is another prowess she inherited from her father. From shaping Jemimah Rodrigues’ career to training Ira Jadhav, Sadhavi Sanjay, Shraddha Shetty, and Jetson Batu are some of Kalpana’s great feats. Her son Vaidik is an accomplished cricketer too and assists her at the ‘no-age bar’ academy.
Kalpana's Routine Of 4 AM to 6 AM
Having cleared the BCCI’s A-level coaching level, Kalpana serves as a member of the selection committee for the under-19 women’s cricket team. Her day begins at 4am, with training sessions held from 7am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm. In the afternoon, she attends matches across Mumbai as part of her selection committee duties, closely monitoring player performances. She often accompanies her players to their matches.
“My father used to meticulously record the points of every player during matches. Post-game, he conducted crucial sessions, highlighting mistakes and inspiring players for improved performance. I follow this approach in my coaching career,” she said.
The Only Female Cricketer Coach
Reflecting on her journey, Kalpana noted that when she started coaching, Surekha Bhandare was the only female cricket coach in Mumbai. Now, many women coaches contribute to the sport. However, she faced rejection from a marriage partner solely because she was a cricket coach. Later, she married former cricket player Deepak Murkar, who is now a cricket coach and curator.
