Jemimah Rodrigues Looks to Bring Australian ‘Mindset’ to India’s Game
Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues is hoping to apply the positive approach she has picked up from her WBBL team-mates at the Brisbane Heat in her international game.
Rodrigues, who’s back in the tournament for her third stint after previously playing for Melbourne Stars in 2022, has credited her Heat teammates’ encouragement to play “positively” for her recent match-winning 61-run knock against the Adelaide Strikers. This came after two previous low scores of 13 and 5.
“Grace Harris 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’,” Rodrigues revealed. “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’re still going to play positive cricket and bat with intent’.”
Rodrigues believes this “Australian mindset” of always opting for the positive option is something she wants to apply to her game with the Indian team as they prepare for the upcoming ODI World Cup. With less than a year to go, the 22-year-old feels playing in various T20 leagues around the world will be great preparation.
“Playing these foreign leagues and playing the WPL, it does help because you play against the best in the world in all these leagues and at the same time you get to play in different conditions,” she said. “Imagine just going out there and doing well, how much confidence you’ll get coming back into the Indian team when you’ve taken on these bowlers.”
India are scheduled to play three ODIs against Australia in Brisbane and Perth in December, which Rodrigues believes will benefit from her WBBL experience, despite the format difference.
“Nothing much will even change in my mindset. I think I will still back myself to play positive cricket, but at the same time being more sensible because it’s a longer format and trying to extend this innings even longer, scoring more and more runs for India,” she explained.
Rodrigues also welcomed the ICC’s recent initiative to curb social media abuse in the women’s game, saying it allows the players to focus solely on their performances.
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