Jemimah Rodrigues is Indian cricket’s next big star
March 12, 2018
Jemimah Rodrigues might be only 17 years old, but her cover drive can match Mithali Raj’s elegance and grace. The Mumbai girl made her One Day International debut on 13th February 2018, making a match winning 37 runs in 27 balls, is all set to take the mantle of India’s batting line up.
The debut came after much wait for the child prodigy. Born to a well-known club cricketer, Jemimah took up the game at a very tender age. Such was her rise that she represented the Mumbai Under-19 cricket team at just 13 years of age. Her watershed moment came last year when she became only the second woman after Smriti Mandhana to score a double century in a one-day match. This feat came against Saurashtra when she scored 202 in just 163 balls in Aurangabad in November 2017.
A right handed batsman and a part time off break bowler, Jemimah says that she’s been in heaven ever since she’s made her India debut. She realises the importance of team work and understanding situations. “One doesn’t necessarily learn only while playing. I didn’t get a chance in ODIs there. But by sitting out, I got the insights of the game. Watching Mandhana take on Proteas seam bowlers and adjusting to conditions unfamiliar to you was a big learning curve. Every ground had different wicket there. Initially we thought it will be quick, but in second and third ODI it was slow. Even in the T20Is, the second match was on the slower side but the final one was quicker,” said the quirky Mumbaikar.
