Former India captain Diana Edulji is extremely upset and disappointed with Team India’s performance so far at the Women’s World Cup. India won their first two matches (vs Sr Lanka and Pakistan) but thereafter suffered three back-to-back defeats (against South Africa, Australia and England).
In an interview with mid-day Edulji, who led the country in two ODI World Cups in 1978 and 1993, questioned the team’s unsettled combination. She also befelt it’s high time skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who has scored 141 runs in five games so far, leads from the front with big runs like Australia captain Alyssa Healy [scored 294 runs in four innings], New Zealand captain Sophie Devine [260 runs in three innings], and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt [201 in six innings].
Diana Edulji
Edited excerpts
On India’s performance so far
I’m surprised and upset. We were the favourites on home conditions and should have capitalised on this, but we’ve lost three games from a winning position which is not good. We still haven’t settled down. The playing XI is not settled, bowling attack is not settled, batting order is not settled. And now, it’s a do or die situation. The pressure will mount again. Previously we used to call South Africa chokers, but now it feels like we are becoming chokers. We’re just not able to cross the line. In the last game [vs England], there was a good partnership between Smriti [Mandhana] and Harman [Kaur] and they should have seen the game through. They shouldn’t have depended on the lower order. Also, the fitness levels are still not up to the mark, which is why singles are not being taken. Then, they want to go for the big shots and are holed out at the boundary. Yes, there have been a few good performances here and there, but that’s not leading us to victory. What we need is a performance that takes us over the line.
On in-form opener Smriti Mandhana
India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur
I was talking to a few people who felt that Smriti was tired during that innings [vs England]. If she was cramping, she could’ve taken a little break, slowed down the game, and hydrated. The physio could’ve given her a rub down. Because the shot she played and got out, had there been footwork and energy, she would have cleared the boundary. But just standing and playing that shot, means there was some weakness in the body.
On Harmanpreet Kaur’s batting and leadership
Smriti Mandhana trains at the DY Patil Stadium. Pics/Atul Kamble
Both Mandhana and Harman were playing beautifully earlier, but now if you watch Harman’s game, it’s not the same. She’s getting most of her runs in the point and backward region. She was a very good striker, and has scored a lot of runs in front of the wicket. Where has that game gone? She [Harmanpreet] is not a new captain. She has been leading the team for a long, long time, so you have to take that [responsibility] in your stride. If you can’t, then move away. You have to take that call. You can’t have it both ways. All the other captains are leading from the front, Australia’s Healy, New Zealand’s Devine, and [
South Africa’s Wolvaardt. Their team’s morale also then gets a boost.
On Jemimah Rodrigues’s place in the team
Jemimah Rodrigues
The combination has to be balanced properly. We are still struggling with Jemimah [65 runs in four innings] and Harleen [Deol, 169 runs in five innings]. It’s not going to benefit the team if they’re not sure of performing. They have to put their hands up. Jemimah is getting out to the same shot, the sweep. She must remove the sweep shot from her armoury. She is a good player and has some good cover drives and on-drives, so why go for that sweep shot which is causing your downfall?
It needs to be instilled in their heads, that till they cross 50, they’re not going to play a certain shot. There should be some discipline in batting, especially in the beginning when you’re just getting your footwork ready.
On the bowling attack
Kranti Gaud
All the bowlers have to step up. You can’t just depend on one bowler to take wickets. [Left-arm spinner Shree] Charani is lucky, she’s getting wickets, but she’s on the costlier side. [Off-spinner] Sneha Rana is a good, thinking bowler and a good batter. We need good pacers. Unfortunately, Kranti Gaud has been on a downward slide from when she started and I don’t think Renuka Thakur is fit enough. We played three pacers and they didn’t complete their 10 overs. You could have played [left-arm spinner] Radha Yadav, who is also a good hitter towards the end. That would have given you more chances of getting a wicket and she’s an excellent fielder too. All these things have to be taken into consideration.
On India’s chances of making the semis
We are lucky that some games are getting washed out; Colombo has seen some washouts, which has given us a chance else we would’ve been out by now. But it’ll be tough [in the next game against New Zealand on Thursday]. DY Patil Stadium is a belter of a wicket and with [NZ’s] Devine and the other players, they’re not going to give up so easily. From now, we should look at one game at a time, don’t think of the second game at all. Put in all your effort. It’s a do or die now. It’s as good as a quarter-final, so play it like that. Give your best and forget what has happened till now. Just concentrate fully on what’s in front of you.