You don't have to be a Smriti or a Harmanpreet: Jemimah Rodrigues reveals advice gotten from Smriti Mandhana

Jemimah Rodrigues knows her strengths well and finds no reason to change her natural game in order to ape powerhitters like skipper Harmanpreet Kaur or elegant timers of Smriti Mandhanas ilkJemimah played an important role in Indias thumping 100run victory over Barbados with an immensely important knock of 56 off 46 balls which was different in its construction from how Harmanpreet or a Shafali Verma playsSmriti had told me long back in the IPL Womens T20 Challenge in 2019 that you dont have to be a Harmanpreet Kaur or a Smriti Mandhana You have to be a Jemimah Rodrigues I think I have understood that role and its helping me Jemimah said after the matchFor Jemimah peoples perceptions doesnt matter muchThe team has given me a role If I can play that role it doesnt matter how other people look at it If the dynamics suit our team we have Shafali Smriti Harman so I just want to play the best role I want to play for the team she addedShe has no qualms in admitting that powerhitting isnt her forte but she is still working on that particular skillset in order to contribute more in the shortest format of the gameDefinitely Ive worked on my power game but more than that Ive understood my game better Im not a powerhitter Im a placer I can hit the gaps for singles and doubles well I know how to manoeuvre the field I think that is my strength she saidJemimah is confident that even without hitting a fair amount of sixes she can still firm up the strikerate at a decent paceAlso Read West Indies vs India Final two T20Is in USA to go ahead as planned reportMy game is not very flashy but even without that I end up with a good strike rate That is what I have realised I dont have to be someone else I have to be Jemimah Rodrigues to score This is what has helped me she went on to addShe also highlighted the equation shared between her and the coach Ramesh Power and the latters role in promoting her at number three which she believes is her ideal position to flourishRamesh Powar sir had told me after the last game to be prepared for No 3 she said Honestly when I was preparing I was ready for both Even when I was preparing in the nets with our sidearm throwdown specialist I was prepared for both because you never know the team can need me anywhere and I should be ready for that Jemimah saidBut definitely I love No 3 Its my position Im glad I got to play there and contribute to the team contribute to the plan and it worked out well for the team she addedThe Mumbaiborn cricketer also went on to add that the opportunities she got at The Hundred tournament for the Northern Superchargers last year has played a pivotal role in helping her grasp the English conditions and given her ample confidence to perform at the CWG in BirminghamThe best thing about the Hundred was the opportunity to get to play in English conditions which I wouldnt have gotten normally Jemimah saidAny match even if its a domestic game I think when you go out there and score runs you get confidence And that is what happened to me I was blessed that I got to play for the Northern SuperchargersI had a good season there and I just wanted to continue that because the more I play the better I do and the more I learn I just want to apply that whenever I play for India she addedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever