India, Dec. 20 -- As the spectacle of the Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions unfolded on December 16, watching it held a different meaning for me. Two weeks earlier, I had witnessed something that is usually reserved for players and their families. I had watched an auction built around a clutch of young woman players, each hoping for their big break. They asked me not to reveal their identities, so I will not name them or the states they represent.

On the hazy morning of November 27, two Under-23 state teams played a T20 match at a school cricket ground in a north Indian city. One team was led by M, whose calm composure and classical batting skills mark her out as a player with a great future. Coaches and scouts from Women's Premier Le...