Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 10 (ANI): Australian player Ellyse Perry, currently leading the race for the Orange Cap with 323 runs in seven innings, shared insights on her career, the evolution of women's cricket, and her role at Royal Challengers Bengaluru on the RCB Bold and Beyond podcast.

The Australian all-rounder reflected on the early years of her journey, the growing professionalism in the women's game, and the electric atmosphere of playing at Chinnaswamy Stadium.

From watching the first-ever IPL match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to now hearing her name chanted there by RCB fans, Perry's journey has come full circle. Speaking on the RCB Podcast, Bold and Beyond, she said, 'We went to the first IPL match where Brendan McCullum scored around 150 runs for KKR. I remember thinking that was the most insane thing ever. Now, to be on the same field with a packed stadium where we can't even communicate because it's so loud--it's incredible. All of us at RCB feel so fortunate to be playing for this team because the support is just crazy.'

Reflecting on her longevity in the game. 'I think I've been able to continue to learn, which has been the most motivating factor. To be still playing, the opportunity that always presents itself is to learn something new, to be challenged. And I think particularly in women's cricket, every year it just gets a little bit bigger, a little bit better.'

Having made her debut for Australia at 17, Perry recalled her early years. 'It's funny. I'm not sure you learn a lot in the early phases because everything's just so new. You often see young players coming in their first year, and it looks so easy for them. That's because they have no expectations, no past experiences to draw from. It's a lovely time to play because you just take everything in your stride and play with so much freedom.'

She also reflected on the growth of women's cricket, recalling how different things were at the start of her career. 'When I first started, hardly any of our matches were televised, maybe one or two a year, which were precursors to men's matches. The kind of reporting always followed the same narrative: 'Do you wish that you were paid more to play? Do you wish you had more attention?' It sort of perpetuated the same storyline about women's sport.'

Now, the shift is undeniable. 'If you fast forward 15, 20 years to now, every match is covered, we've got 30,000 people at the stadium every night, and women have the opportunity to work in sport full-time, whether as a player, a coach, an administrator, or an executive.'

Having been with RCB since the WPL's inception, Perry has naturally taken on a leadership role in the setup. 'It's been amazing to see how much domestic talent is coming through. Meeting so many young players, whether at RCB or other franchises, has shown me how big this opportunity is for them,' she said.

Perry also noted the rising quality of cricket each season. 'As this tournament progresses, I see more opportunities for young girls playing and coming through and how good they are. It's a bit scary! Every year I come back, there are new faces pushing the standards even higher.' (ANI)