The day before the first T20 International to be played between England and India out of the three-match T20I series to be played, the Indian T20 skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur took to the virtual press meet to deliver words before scores on the ground.
As it has been a long time Harmanpreet Kaur has come across some decent knocks, she talks about the team’s approach towards the one-day-to-go T20 International against the hosts, England who have recently concluded the three-match ODI series with a thumping 2-1 triumph. She said, “Well, every series is important for us and when you are going to play a match it’s just like the preparation done prior to a World Cup, that is, to build the team and giving chances to all the players thus making a good team and a fine combination.”
She believes that it’s not that easy at the international level to cope up and that too along with the entire team. “I am someone who likes to train every day, who likes to work hard every day, and because of COVID-19 and injuries, I didn’t get that much time to prepare but this is not an excuse; I am someone who needs much time on the ground to prepare because at the international level you can’t just come and get things easily,” Harmanpreet Kaur further added.
She assures that people will witness an all-new and somewhat different approach from her side as she has been working closely on her past five innings. “If you see the second ODI, definitely we did win the game but we got the momentum from there only because the way we fielded that day and bowled was outstanding. After a long time when you play international tournaments, things are not that easy but once you get the momentum that is something you need to continue,” she further noted.
“The last game very important for us to get that momentum and we would definitely like to carry that,” she stretched herself on a positive momentum that she and the entire team has occupied.
It’s admissible that for every particular game there is always an individual feeling for the respective players. She believes, “Having said that, I got COVID-19 and then injuries were also there and as I said, I am someone who likes to train and work hard every day. I didn’t get that time which I usually do before an international series. Didn’t get the game time for the way I prepare. We didn’t even get a single practice game.”
#TeamIndia captain @ImHarmanpreet is confident of getting back to form with the bat in the T20I series against England 💪 💪#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/Ta6x38EdU1
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) July 8, 2021
Basically, Harmanpreet Kaur prefers more practice sessions which were lacking in the run for the international series. And then that too is a bit tricky for the game as every day when you start facing the same bowler you can’t analyze that how you should bat. “But it’s all about a good innings. The moment I get that, I will continue that,” she firmly assures.
“At this moment our team looks very balanced,” she confirms and further says, “because we used to struggle in the last overs and didn’t manage to score runs but with the inclusion of SnehRana, we feel balance in the team.” She believes that a team needs some players who contribute in both way, through bat and ball, both. “Our chief concern is fielding and power-hitting. We have definitely improved in the past three or four matches,” Harmanpreet Kaur again shared.
There are many questions on Richa Ghosh to be the wicket-keeper for the T20 series, on which Kaur clarified, “I personally feel, this is the right time for us to try new things because for the last two years we were going with the same mind set-up like the four spinners and one medium pacer and we didn’t try anything extra.” She also told that the team is looking for a better combination in all committing to more and more practice sessions that is helping them to squeeze a lot into their hit-points.
Talking about the injury that she caught during the South Africa tour, she said, “I got a Grade 4 injury at the right side and post that it also hit the left side during the match. After rehab, we are not getting the practice matches which generally takes place before international games so directly moving into the play is not a right thing.”
Her physio, trainers too supported her a lot. She had her rehab all through the online mode. What she made clear of through the meet is that she needs some extra net-practice sessions to buckle up entirely. “I am ready to play these three matches,” she confidently scribed and moreover lengths herself to note, “We are training on different grounds and then we will go to the main ground where we will be playing although not much clarity is there.”
To comment on the rejuvenating session that a player has when he or she goes through much bad forms, she pounded, “I do see my own videos of all those matches where I performed well, be it a long innings or a short innings or win matches for my team, those innings always motivate you.”
She has learnt, during the gap before the international series against England, that how to work on the shortcomings and pull those up. “Watching videos of yourself playing fills you with another level of confidence and I hope this will help me in this T20 series,” Harmanpreet Kaur concluded.
