At just 17 she made her ODI debut against New Zealand [Images] at Christchurch in 1995. Fourteen years on, she has represented India in 109 ODIs, scoring 2,542 runs, including 455 from 19 World Cup outings.

And when she eventually plays in the ICC [Images] Women's World Cup in Australia [Images], beginning March 7, the 31-year-old will see her name added to the history books.

Former India skipper Anjum Chopra [Images] will join Australia's Captain Karen Rolton and her England [Images] counterpart Charlotte Edwards to represent their respective countries in fourth successive tournaments. Only 11 other cricketers -- including India's Anju Jain -- have the distinction of representing their countries in four or more World Cups.

Dropped for the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka [Images] and the subsequent tour of England after a mediocre quadrangular tournament in early 2007, she made her comeback for the tour of Australia last October on the back of a credible performance in the domestic Challenger Series.

In Mumbai [Images] for the preparatory camp, prior to the Indian team's departure for Australia, the Arjuna awardee got candid in a conversation with Special Correspondent Bikash Mohapatra.

Excited about playing in your fourth successive World Cup?

Each one of them has been special. But the last one in South Africa [Images] (in 2005 when India lost in the final to Australia), we had a more experienced team; the same group was together for a long period. The team now has a lot of youngsters.

You have been playing for so many years. What has kept you motivated?

Playing for India in itself is the biggest motivation.

When you are playing for your country, wearing the Indian colours out there, facing everybody and talking about your team, personally, I think that is the biggest motivation anybody can ever have as an individual.

And as far as the youngsters are concerned, passing them information and sharing with them my own experiences, I think, it's great.

I take it is as a learning curve from my youngsters. They are the ones coming into the side. So how do they feel about me? It's more of give-and-take. Whatever they want to ask me, learn from me, it's their right. And I always have a lot to learn from them.

This is going to be the first World Cup since the Board of Control for Cricket in India has taken women's cricket under its wing. Has that helped?

The support system has been raised; it is the backbone of the sport. We had support from different quarters earlier on. Without taking any credit away from the officials who worked for the earlier body, the WCAI (the Women's Cricket Association of India), which did the job of garnering support for us from various quarters.

But now having the Board, a stable body, behind us has really strengthened us, which is good. Infrastructural support, financial help, has definitely improved by leaps and bounds.

Overall, how you get to see the sport, I think that's the responsibility of the players. We are trying to get better, have more wins under our belt, like the boys have done. We are looking up to the men's team.

Has the number of international tours increased since the BCCI came into the picture?

No.

(After momentary thought) I think the BCCI took over in 2006-2007. We went to England in 2006 and played under the BCCI logo. But, practically, I think they took over in 2007, and since then we have had just three international tours.

One is the Asia Cup, which is held every year as a regular feature. Apart from that we have had only two tours, one to England and one to Australia. So, probably, we have not had many international tours since 2007, but, as I said, the back-up support has gone-up.

How well is the team prepared for this World Cup?

We are preparing. At this point, I would like to look at it like we have a good mix of youth and experience in the side.

On one hand we have the experience of Jhulan (Goswami), Mithali (Raj), Amita (Sharma), Rumeli (Dhar) and myself, and on the other, we have an influx of youngsters in the side, like Thirush (Kamini).

I think the combination would work. We are building our momentum and, hopefully, by the time we reach we should have everything in order.

This is also the first time the women's World Cup will be televised live. How does it feel?

(Smiles) Yeah, as I said, playing for India is a motivation. And then you have a hundred countries watching it live on TV. It's an impetus to the sport, a great thing to happen to women's cricket per se.

Because, if a hundred countries get to watch women play internationally and if they get to watch a good standard, globally the game gets better. So I would, rather my team would, look at it as a plus point. Something that doesn't put pressure on us but something that encourages us to take the sport forward and get global recognition for women's cricket.

Having played for so long, do you feel the status of women's cricket has improved?

I would think so. I would say our sport has improved. The biggest things are that the Board is now supporting us and the ICC (International Cricket Council [Images]) has taken us under their wings. These are two very positive and prominent signs.

In terms of viewership, the media coverage has given us confidence. So I would say the sport has grown and will grow further. Of course, the results do matter.

I think if we do well in this World Cup, and the next few years, it would do a lot to improve the status of women's cricket in India. It can take time, it will take time, but it's on the right track.

But the women's game still doesn't have as big a following as the men's version...

We cannot compare women's cricket to the men's game. That has to be understood. The physical power, the basic strength between a male and female cannot be compared. I don't say you can't look up to the boys and play. Of course, when a girl starts playing she tends to idolise the men more because they are more visible on television. But, subsequently, she starts looking for or identifying her idols in women's cricket.

You always want to play like a Tendulkar or a Dhoni [Images], but when it comes to ground realities, the physical strengths cannot be compared. And we should also not try to compare them.

We should try to play like them in terms of technique and timing, but not in terms of power cricket. Because you can't just hit towering sixes throughout the stadium every now and then just like, say, a Yusuf Pathan [Images] does. It is just brutal strength and that is obviously the basic difference.

And in terms of entertainment, that really sets us apart.

Photographs: Bikash Mohapatra