India, June 9 -- Siliguri is to table tennis what Bhiwani is to boxing and Chennai to chess. So, Richa Ghosh's route seemed almost predetermined. But one afternoon she made a choice that would land her in the midst of the rapid rise of Indian women's cricket.

"There was a cricket match at Baghajatin Club in Siliguri," Richa, 22, recalls in an interview. "Both table tennis and cricket were played there. I said, 'I want to watch the cricket match.' I was maybe four-and-a-half. My father got me admitted to the cricket coaching centre."

Not every stellar career is fuelled by a childhood dream. Sometimes, a little girl getting curious about an unfamiliar game can be a trigger too. With Richa established as one of India's most destructive wic...