India’s hero of the 50-over ICC World Cup title Jemimah Rodrigues has said that after having won one title, the feeling can get addictive. Now India wants another, and the opportunity arrived at the T20 extravaganza in England.
Jemi was quick to issue a disclaimer when speaking on Jiostar’s ‘Jazbaa Jeet Ka’, saying, ‘addiction’ may sound like a negative word, but the 50-over ODI triumph had them tasting blood.
“What has happened with that World Cup win is that it has empowered us to be motivated to do even better,” she said. “When you win one, and it may sound like a negative word, is almost like an addiction, you want to win another one. It pushes you even more.”
India are nowhere near favourites at the England showpiece, but slot in nicely as dark horse, with the November 2nd triumph ensuring they are not longer taken lightly. Still, T20s call for alterations. “As a batter, it is just a shift in mindset. In T20 cricket, compared to other formats, you have to take calculated risks. For me, it is about being smart with when to take those risks and how to put the bowlers and the opposition under pressure. That will be my mindset.”
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur said that though all focus tends to be on Powerplays and end overs, the middle overs might prove decisive. “In terms of tactics, there is a lot of attention on the Powerplay and the last few overs, but I feel it is the middle overs that control the entire game. So, how you fare in that phase is critical. That’s why you need to identify your best players, those who can handle pressure in that period, and prepare accordingly,” she told Jiostar.
The captain had also been determined to try out different options to identify her personnel.
“For me, as a team the most important thing is to play as many matches as possible, give equal opportunities to all the players, and then finalise your best playing XI. That is very important. ….There will be pressure on us because we have now set a standard for ourselves after winning the World Cup. And everybody, especially our Indian fans, will be watching us more closely,” she added.
Vice-Captain Smriti Mandhana has identified Overs 6 – 10 as those she needed to work on for the T20 format. “For me, the biggest change has been making better use of the Powerplay and understanding what I can do between overs 6 and 10, then pacing my innings accordingly, whether we are chasing or batting first,” she said.
She reckoned there was depth in hitters, and even Jemi and herself could adapt to that strike rate requirement.
“There is just one mindset, to do well for India in whatever situation the team requires. If needed, I can anchor the innings or be the aggressor. That’s my job. Then we have the likes of Shafali, Richa and Harman, we have so many power-hitters coming in later. Even me and Jemimah, in our own ways, can find a way to play at a similar strike rate,” she said.
She reckoned the hunger to win for the team was high. “More than anything, I feel this team is really hungry. Everyone looks determined to do the right things and, for sure, we would like to carry our form into the T20 World Cup.”
India Head Coach Amol Muzumdar said the WPL had played its part. “If you look at what has transpired in the WPL over the last three years, it has been outstanding. For any girl or cricketer to play in front of a packed stadium and a capacity crowd, and then deliver match-winning performances, the confidence level goes sky-high. That has helped Indian cricket overall,” he said.
WC debutant Nandni Sharma credited TATA WPL for her call-up to the national side too speaking to JioHotstar. “The WPL changed me a lot. I have learnt so much from it. Getting the opportunity to share a dressing room with such big players completely changed my perspective. I look at cricket very differently now. Earlier, I was like, ‘I’ll just go out there and take wickets for fun.’ Now, I realise there is so much more to the game. I have learnt a great deal, and hopefully, it will help me throughout my journey,” she said.
The coach also informed that India had focussed on fitness a lot more this time around.
“Following that World Cup win, in the T20I series against Sri Lanka, we began preparing ourselves for the goal, which is ahead of us now, the T20 World Cup. We had identified a couple of areas where we needed to put in our best efforts, and fitness was one of the main ones we spoke about. We have been putting in a lot of work behind it.”
Mandhana reckoned there was depth in hitters, and even Jemimah Rodrigues and herself could adapt to that strike rate requirement. (AP Photo) 
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