'I believe that cricket is a game played on situations on the ground' - Mithali Raj

Ahead of the NZ series and Women's World Cup, Team India captain, Mithali Raj shared the importance of top-order batters' partnership.

Mithali Raj is all set to play the World Cup. (Image credit: ICC Twitter)
By Shurti Banerjee | Jan 23, 2022 | 4 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Ahead of the New Zealand series and all-important Women’s World Cup, Team India captain, Mithali Raj shared the importance of top-order batters’ partnership. However, she said that it is important to “play according to the situation” in the upcoming ODI World Cup, instead of focusing “entirely” on the strike rate.

Her comments came as India have been trying to score over 250 in recent times. However, she also gave the example of Australia‘s Beth Mooney and her stunning 125 not out last year where she started off slowly before increasing the pace.

“I think too much importance isn’t given to strike rate by you all?” Raj asked in response to a question on India’s dot-ball percentage and strike rates from the Australia tour, where they lost the ODI series 2-1 as well. “Because it is always spoken [of] when it comes to batting or putting up big totals.”

READ MORE: Tayla Vlaeminck ruled out of Ashes, Women’s World Cup 2022

“I just wanted to know if you all only follow the strike rates of the India players or the players from the other teams, because if you might give me an opportunity to enlighten [you], the Australia [ODI] series itself, the game that Australia won, the decider, if you’ve seen Beth Mooney, who scored her 50 in 80-odd balls, but she went on to play a match-winning innings for the team,” Mithali raj again shared.

“So, as for me, I believe that cricket is a game played on situations on the ground. And yes, it is important that we keep that in mind that we need to have a healthy strike rate. But at the end of the day, it’s how our batting unit revolves and [what] the depth of the batting unit in our team [is],” she further added.

‘I think too much importance isn’t given to strike rate by you all?’ – Mithali Raj

“So yes, when we have to score 250-270, we need to have a healthy strike rate, but having said that, we will not only entirely focus on strike rate, it’s important to play an innings to win and build partnerships, and that happens, not because of strike rate but because you apply and play according to the situation on the ground. Sometimes you have to play fast, but sometimes you have to play to get your team out of the hole too,” Raj explained.

Team India, who were runners-up in the 2005 and 2017 World Cup will try to win their first World Cup title in New Zealand in March. While both India openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma are known for quick scoring, the captain believes partnerships are needed at the top order. And, she said that they should make partnerships if they want to cross the 250-run mark in the World Cup.

“Firstly, I think if we have to visit the 2017 World Cup where the team has done well, where the team has put on a score of 250-270 is because there’s at least one top-order bat who plays through the innings and the rest of them revolve around it. So it’s important that the top order – one of them – takes the responsibility of playing through the innings and there has to be a partnership or two of 50, so that you know if we get to play more, the top order contributes. I think that way we would be able to score 250-270. It is very rarely that middle order or the lower middle order scores the bulk of the runs, so it’s important that as a batting unit, all of us take the responsibility of playing our roles,” again shared Mithali Raj.

READ MORE: All-round Tahlia McGrath guides Australia to win the 1st T20I

Meanwhile, Mithali Raj has a 23-year-long international career, where most of the time she has to play the anchor’s role. While she still has the skill, her strike rate often says a different story. Even, Harmanpreet Kaur’s poor form has also come under the scanner.

“I think it’s important you back your players and that’s what we do on this team,” head coach Ramesh Powar said. “Once you are selected in this team, we look for present and future, what you have done behind. You have to take confidence out of it or you learn out of it and move forward. As far as Harman is concerned, she just came out of the WBBL as the Player of the Tournament. So, currently she’s in good form and it’s up to her to capitalise those good days into best days in the World Cup.”





Related Post

HIGHLIGHTS

Buzzwords