Indian women's cricket team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has delivered a pragmatic message, stating that the team cannot afford to rest on the laurels of their recent ODI World Cup triumph. As the side prepares for the T20 World Cup scheduled next year, Mandhana emphasized that focusing on past success will not aid their preparation, highlighting several areas where the young squad needs to improve.
A Fresh Start With Every Game
Mandhana's comments came on the back of her return to form in the fourth T20I against Sri Lanka in Trivandrum. After struggling in the first three matches, she smashed a brilliant 80 runs off 48 balls. During that knock, she also achieved a monumental personal milestone, crossing 10,000 international runs. With this feat, she became the fastest female cricketer in history to reach the mark and only the fourth overall after legends Charlotte Edwards, Mithali Raj, and Suzie Bates.
Reflecting on her mindset, Mandhana explained the importance of starting afresh. "In cricket, you have to start from zero. The scoreboard is always zero for zero. It's never what you've done in the last match or previous series," she said in a video shared by the BCCI. She outlined her different internal expectations for each format, being particularly tough on herself in ODIs and Tests where she has more time at the crease.
The World Cup Win and the Road Ahead
While acknowledging the significance of the ODI World Cup victory for women's cricket in India, Mandhana was clear-eyed about the future. "The One Day World Cup was the biggest thing for women's cricket. And we did take off that one. So it's a big, big win. But again, you know, you can't be thinking about only successes," she stated.
She pointed out that the team has had its share of missed opportunities this year. Mandhana described the current Indian side as a "work in progress" and cautioned against constant fixation on the upcoming World Cup. "If you keep thinking about the World Cup, the next one won't come," she wisely noted. When asked to review the team's performance critically, she gave it a 7 out of 10, underscoring that there are many areas to improve collectively.
Key Areas for Improvement
Mandhana specifically mentioned several facets the team is working on:
- Fitness and fielding standards
- Developing power-hitting skills crucial for T20 cricket
- Better execution of bowling plans
She also took a moment to express immense gratitude towards the fans for their unwavering support, especially during and after the World Cup. "All the fans who've supported us throughout the year... I feel it's just been a fantastic year for women's cricket. And I hope we just keep making them proud," Mandhana concluded, hoping the supporters continue to turn up and back the team in their journey forward.
