NEWS
Follow UsJemimah Rodrigues is enjoying a good time at the 10th edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). While her four innings so far have yielded 124 runs at an average of 31, her superb strike rate of 145.8 stands out. However, when asked about India’s lacklustre campaign at the T20 World Cup in the UAE, the pain was evident as she interacted with the media on the sidelines of the WBBL.
“Honestly, if I can be very frank, we didn’t play the best cricket we should have played as an Indian team,” Jemimah remarked candidly.
“Each one of us knows that. I know it’s still hurting all of us. I know it’s hard; it was one of those tournaments we would want to forget and move forward. Because we have the 50-over World Cup at home, we want to prepare well for that.
“We want to make sure as a team, we do well at the right time, and each player performs and takes the team through. So, in the end, I can’t pinpoint - what we spoke about in the dressing room was we need to look inside rather than pointing at others. Each individual knows what they need to do and how to get better and come.”
With the race to the 2025 ODI World Cup in India already started with the three ODI series against New Zealand recently, the Indian women’s team will be touring Australia soon, which would be extremely crucial in the tournament and its preparation. Jemimah felt that getting valuable WBBL experience would help her unlock her best version for the tour. Also, her knowledge of the local conditions playing for the Brisbane Heat will certainly come in handy as the Indian team will be playing there soon.
“It [playing the WBBL] will definitely help me a lot,” Jemimah admitted.
“Like, just coming here and getting used to the conditions, it’s a blessing going into the series after this, and I will be playing the same bowlers again. So, it’s nice to have this kind of preparation, if I could put it in those words, going into the series.
“But at the same time, lots of learnings are there. I think we are playing in Brisbane but not at the Gabba. But we are playing at Brisbane. So, it’s nice to be a local now. So, when my teammates come, I will take them around here.”
The Mumbaikar recently scored a Player of the Match-worthy knock of 61 off just 40 deliveries against the Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba, and she admitted that accepting the Australian mindset of playing positive cricket with intent helped her perform like that.
"Grace and Laura Harris, both of them texted me and said, 'Jemi, your over extra cover drive is the best. Don't stop yourself from playing that. Even if you get out, it's fine. But just keep dominating’,” Jemimah said.
“So I think that really helped me in [the Strikers] knock just to have that kind of backing firstly from your team that the team still believes in you and at the same time, just they're like, 'No, we're still going to take the positive route. We'll still play positive cricket and bat with intent'.”
The right-handed also said that such an Australian mindset would undoubtedly be something she’ll take back as a career lesson from the WBBL.
"There's a saying always that if there are two options, always take the positive one,” the 24-year-old said.
“So I think that is something I have also been really working on in my game and just to have people around you after two failures, I had those doubts - 'should I still play with this mindset or should I not?'. They were like 'just go all out' and that really helped me. This is something that I will take with me 100% hopefully bring it out with the Aussies and just continue to do well.”
Jemimah’s side, the Brisbane Heat, are currently fourth on the points table after three wins and as many losses in six games.
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