Rodrigues Eager to Represent India in Cricket at LA 2028 Olympics

Jemimah Rodrigues, the young and shining batter on the Indian women’s cricket team, expressed her feelings about the opportunity to represent India in cricket at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Taking to Instagram, Rodrigues shared her excitement, stating, “Loved wearing the current Indian Olympic jersey. Can’t wait to play cricket for India at the Olympics soon!” Her post reflects the growing anticipation among cricket fans worldwide following the confirmation of the sport’s return to the Summer Games.

The Olympic flag was officially handed over to Los Angeles during the Paris 2024 Closing Ceremony, marking the countdown to the 2028 Games. Cricket, which last featured in the Olympics at the 1900 Paris Games, will make its long-awaited return in the T20 format, 128 years later.

Cricket’s historic Olympic debut in 1900 saw a two-day match between Great Britain and France, with the British team securing victory by 158 runs. The sport’s reintroduction in Los Angeles has been eagerly anticipated, especially by cricket enthusiasts and players alike.

Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting, a three-time ODI World Cup winner, praised the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics, emphasizing its potential to broaden the sport’s global appeal.

“It can only be a positive thing for our game,” Ponting said during an interview with The ICC Review. “I have sat on various committees over the last 15 or 20 years, and it has always been on the top of almost every agenda – how do we get the game back into the Olympics? And finally, it is there.”

Cricket was among five additional sports proposed by the LA28 Organising Committee, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially confirming its inclusion last year.

Ponting highlighted the significance of the Olympics for cricket’s growth, noting:

“The Olympic Games being viewed by so many people all around the world, it just opens up completely different audiences to our game, which is seemingly growing on a daily basis anyway.”

Ponting, who also played in the 1998 Commonwealth Games when cricket was included for the first time, remains optimistic about the sport’s future, especially as it continues to reach new markets and expand its global footprint.