Women's World T20 2018: In Jemimah Rodrigues, India Have A True Modern-Day Player With Ability To Score All Around

The hopes of a nation are pinned on Jemimah Rodrigues' small but broad shoulders, but as she has shown through her performances in domestic cricket, she enjoys the extra responsibility
It’s no exaggeration to say that Jemimah Rodrigues is India’s first domestic superstar.

Riding on the popularity gained by the women’s game after India’s terrific ODI World Cup campaign in England, Rodrigues went on a bit of a record-breaking spree in domestic cricket to capture the country’s imagination. In the Under-19 tournament that year, she accumulated a startling 1,013 runs in 10 innings at a Bradmanesque average of 112.56 — including an unbeaten 202 off 163 deliveries against Saurashtra. The 17-year-old Mumbai skipper collected six centuries and one half-century, clobbering 116 fours and two sixes along the way. The nation was soon chanting Rodrigues’ name.

Her picture was splashed across social media, the biggest names in the country were tweeting about her, and every journalist wanted a piece of her. Extensive profiles were written, comparisons were doing the rounds and the teenager’s phone began ringing off the hook. Rodrigues, who had been coached by her father, Ivan, and fine-tuned her game in the maidans of Mumbai, had become a sensation overnight…

File image of Jemimah Rodrigues. AFP
File image of Jemimah Rodrigues. AFP
… All this before she had even played for the country.

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“She's (Rodrigues) an exciting talent. She comes out and plays without fear, and we know when we're bowling to her, we have to get it right or we'll be going the journey.” (Meg Lanning)

Rodrigues’ first scoring shot in international cricket (in a T20I against South Africa) was a boundary off Ayabonga Khaka — a dismissive shot off her pads that flew over mid-on. She went on to hit another boundary and a six off the last two balls of that over. There was nothing rash about those strokes — she didn’t swipe across the line, or swing in desperation. If she was nervous, it didn’t show. She knew what she was doing. It was all very simple: she just put away the bad balls.

The right-hander rounded off this first international knock with a scintillating 37, and finished the series as India’s third highest run-getter with 87 runs in three innings, at a strike rate of 122.53.

Whenever Rodrigues has batted in international cricket she has looked to score runs. She is a busy player — someone who tries to make full use of the power play. She is aggressive without being rash, positive without being overeager, and inventive without taking foolish risks. Her positive approach at the top of the order has meant that when the bowlers stray even slightly in line or length, she has shown the willingness to go after them.

During the recent T20I series against Sri Lanka, Rodrigues was a revelation for India at No 3. After having been benched for the entire Asia Cup and much of the home season before that, she was given her first full series in the top order by coach Ramesh Powar. The 18-year old flourished, collecting 191 runs in four innings at an average of 63.66 and strike rate of 155.28. Her tally included a blistering 15-ball 36 in the first match — a knock in which she hit three consecutive sixes off Nilakshi de Silva — and back-to-back half centuries to guide India home in the third and fourth T20Is. She batted fearlessly and with purpose, showing her team the benefits of such an approach. Ahead of the series, Powar had called for India to play a more attractive, attacking brand of cricket. Rodrigues chose to lead that change — adding a gear to the team’s repertoire.

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One of Rodrigues’ best qualities as a batter is her ability to quickly pick length. She moves her feet decisively — taking a big stride forward or going deep into her crease — and gets in wonderful positions to manoeuvre the ball wherever she wants. She is a true modern-day player with the ability to score all around the ground. She can play the classic cover drive, a mean flick off her pads, a powerful slog sweep, and a delicate late cut.

When Rodrigues discusses cricket, she sounds like an old pro — talking about the intricacies of batting, strategies involved in the game, and countering different bowlers. She has a keen eye for detail, is tactically very sharp, and is a quick learner. She is a people’s person, sometimes going out of her way to make a teammate feel welcome. She has the makings of a wonderful leader — one of the reasons why Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) chose to name her captain of the senior team at only 17. Nothing about Rodrigues the cricketer shouts teenager…

… Well, almost nothing…

Rodrigues is a bundle of energy on the field — constantly encouraging her teammates, running around, diving everywhere and making sure to thoroughly enjoy herself. Her attitude is infectious. She is the kind of player who throws herself into everything. At times, her enthusiasm can border on mania, but it is a quality that makes her such a joy to watch.
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Paolo Coelho wrote in The Alchemist, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it.”

In many ways, Rodrigues is Destiny’s Child. When she burst onto the consciousness of the nation, it was almost the perfect reveal. The stage was set, and she arrived in grand style. The years of work that she put in alongside her father, honing her technique, becoming stronger, and constantly searching for ways to outwit her older, stronger opponents, had finally borne fruit.

From the maidans of Mumbai, all the way to the West Indies, Rodrigues has come a long way. She has shown the world what she is truly capable of. As much as the Indian team reveres her, opponents fear her.

The 18-year-old will undoubtedly be under a great deal of pressure in her first World Cup. The hopes of a nation are pinned on her small but broad shoulders, but as she has shown through her performances in domestic cricket, she enjoys the extra responsibility. It is just another challenge for her to meet.

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