The Indian women’s team will be playing their first international series since the controversy over the dropping of Mithali Raj in the World T20 semi-final snowballed into a public slug-fest with the mails of both sides being leaked to the media.
While both Raj and T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur have insisted that they have sorted out the issues between them, the real test of their composure and professionalism would come in New Zealand with the former leading the team in the one-day series starting from Thursday.
Raj insisted that she wanted the focus to be back on the sport and team performance. “What has happened has happened and we should move on. Cricket has taught me to move on. No matter whether you get a 100 or a zero you have to be prepared for the next game or you tune yourself for the next day. This is what as international cricketers we look forward to and I am definitely looking forward to the series because it’s very important to get the focus back on the sport and on the team performance and this is an opportunity for us.”
India will be playing three one-day internationals and three T20 internationals in New Zealand and the first challenge for the team would be to acclimatise to the conditions and bigger grounds.
“The ground dimension, we don’t think that much about it. But yes, wind will be a factor while batting, bowling or fielding. We are training accordingly so that when we get on to the field that will not be the top most thing on to our mind, but how we negotiate it to get the best out of ourselves. We look forward to implementing it,” said Raj.
The Indian one-day skipper also brushed aside suggestions that the team were not good travellers, saying they reached the final of the World Cup in England and then played the World T20 in West Indies. “Most of them may be inexperienced for New Zealand conditions but otherwise the team is an experienced lot who are playing together for past 4-5 years. So I don’t think we are a troubled tourist. But yes, I look forward to acclimatising to the conditions at the earliest so that it doesn’t pose too much of a threat when we take the field.”
The 36-year-old also insisted that they team wasn’t over-dependent on her in the batting department. “Right now all of us are in good form. Smriti (Mandhana) or Harmanpreet Kaur or the young Jemimah (Rodrigues), all have been among the runs. We have got a very good middle order in Hemlata (Dayalan) and Dipti Sharma, who is also an all rounder.”
“So, overall, all of them at some point of the other have played match winning innings for the team. The team doesn’t depend completely on me, but yes, as an experienced batter, I do have the responsibility to get the batting unit together to perform,” she added.
New Zealand skipper Amy Satterthwaite admitted that India were a formidable opponent but was happy that they were getting to play a series at home.
“From our point of view, we are in a positive space and a lot of girls are playing some really good cricket and it is always a good feeling when you are coming off the back of your own summer and you are playing a lot of games. The team is feeling excited to get started and looking forward to the challenge.
“I think playing a series is always a good feeling. You get to play more games with the same team and you adjust as the you go alone. India is a quality side and the way they have gone from strength to strength in the last couple of years. They have got some talented youngsters to complement some very seasoned cricketers, who have been playing for a long time,” she added.
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