Ready for India captaincy: Smriti Mandhana | Cricket News
Few scenes in women’s cricket are as reassuring Smriti Mandhana in full swing for India. The elegant left-hander was at his fluent best in India’s historic Test win at Lord’s, scoring twin half-centuries to help script a memorable victory over England. In an interview with TOI, the 29-year-old spoke about India’s landmark win at Lord’s, lessons from repeated T20 World Cup disappointments, the impact of the WPL, and why he feels he is ready to captain India if and when the opportunity arises. Quotes…What did it mean to be part of India’s first ever women’s Test at Lord’s and contribute so much to the win?It was amazing to be a part of the first Lord’s women’s Trial and, more importantly, to win it. Contributing to a historic win for India is special. As children, we all dreamed of playing Test cricket, so doing it with the Lord made it even more memorable.Yastika Bhatia you are credited with helping him recover from ACL surgery. What did you tell him?Any knee injury is very difficult for a player. In Yastika’s case, it happened before a home World Cup, which made it even more difficult. I told him how my own ACL injury in 2017 helped me grow as a person and an athlete. Some of my best cricket has come after defeat. I feel like he can connect with that and stay motivated through the rehabilitation process.Why do you think India exited the T20 World Cup early?It is important to introspect and learn from mistakes. Unfortunately, we have not learned from our past mistakes and continue to repeat them. Going forward, there should be a clear road map till the 2028 T20 World Cup on how we want to approach the format and what we need to do as a team.There are speculations about the captaincy transfer. Are you ready to lead India if asked?Yes, of course. I’m ready.Four seasons into the WPL, India’s T20 results haven’t improved much. Has the league provided enough talent to India?I think the WPL has produced a lot of new talent and a lot of players have made it into the national team. However, I feel that they are not always used to their best abilities.You led RCB to back-to-back WPL titles. What is your leadership philosophy?For me, creating a positive team culture is the most important. Every player should feel comfortable expressing themselves and who they are. When people feel valued and trusted, they tend to perform better.You always deliver in big tournaments. Do big events bring out the best in you?This is a work in progress. In the last two years, I feel more calm in my cricket, whether it is a big tournament or a bilateral series. That calm helped me focus on doing my job for the team.As India’s leading batsman, do you feel overwhelmed by the expectations?We have a lot of quality batters on this team. Whenever you pick up the bat for India, there is pressure to help your team win. But I enjoy that pressure. In other words, what’s the fun in playing sports if there’s no pressure?What role did ICC chairman Jay Shah play in the growth of women’s cricket?Jay sir has been instrumental in the progress made in women’s cricket, not only in India but also across the world.
Post Comment