Ahead of India’s upcoming tour of England, where Mithali Raj and Co are playing a Test match after seven years, the white jerseys were handed out to the team currently in quarantine in Mumbai. And after a meeting on Sunday, rising star Jemimah Rodrigues wrote a heartfelt note about what it means to be playing for the country.
The Indian cricketer posted a note on her social media platforms on the day she received the Test jersey, recollecting a meeting called by new head coach Ramesh Powar.
“Something that’s very close to my heart. Do read if possible,” she tweeted with her note.
“So today [Sunday] Ramesh sir called us for a team meeting and showed us the history we have of women’s cricket in India — from where it first started to where it has reached today... The ones who were before us that made it possible for us to be a part of what we are today. The ones who did it without the recognition they deserved, the ones who brought women’s cricket to India.
“Then the two legends of Indian women’s cricket Mithu di [Mithali Raj] and Jhulu di [Jhulan Goswami] came up and shared with the entire team what cricket has meant to them and what it’s like being a part of this Legacy.
“The meeting ended off with this beautiful quote... Our greatest responsibility is to honour those who have been before us and those who will come after, to ‘leave the JERSEY in a better place.’
“This series [tour of England] and the series here forth, we are playing for a far bigger cause than what we realise, we are playing for every single girl who desires to play this sport.”
The post was received warmly by cricket fans on Twitter, while Rodrigues’ teammates too posted their thoughts.
The 20-year-old Rodrigues will be among a host of debutants if she gets to feature in the Test match against England. She has been named in India’s squad for the tour of England to play a one-off Test in Bristol from June 16, followed by three ODIs and as many T20Is.
She had also revealed recently that she will play for Northern Superchargers in the inaugural edition of The Hundred in the UK starting on July 21. Rodrigues is expected to join her T20I skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, opener Shafali Verma and all-rounder Deepti Sharma in the 100-ball tournament involving eight men’s and women’s teams.
India have a busy schedule ahead with a day-night Test against Australia in September has also been announced. Under coach Powar, India captain Mithali Raj said she is keen to look forward and put her differences with him in the past.
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Mithali, who herself has competed in only 10 Tests over 21 years, said the team will play to win.
“Looking at the itinerary we do have a few days before the Test. And I’m sure the girls also would have trained or prepared themselves accordingly at home before coming into quarantine,” Mithali told PTI.
“A lot of them have probably been preparing themselves mentally. But it is very important to have some groundwork going. That happens only when we all come out of the quarantine in UK.
“But I think sometimes it’s good to not get into game with the baggage of expectations, as in like most of them are making their debut and some of us are playing after a long gap.”
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