Harmanpreet Kaur is one of the most important batter in Team India line-up, and somehow, her performances with the bat manage to just slip under the radar. In the last couple of years (25-26), in 21 matches, she has only managed to score 3 fifties. That should be worrisome for the team. In fact, all-rounder Shikha Pandey went a step further, and said that he SR is a concern too, especially when a wicket falls.
Harmanpreet needs to bat at no. 4
Every time that happens, she goes into the zone, where she tasks herself to resurrect the innings, even if that is need of the hour or not. In the IND vs SA match, she scored only 24 from 22, whereas she could have played her natural game, which could have takes the side to 17-180.
Shikha suggested, that she could change her order to find her former attacking self. “Harmanpreet Kaur’s strike rate raises concerns in India’s middle order. When a wicket falls early, we have seen Yastika Bhatia come in, with Jemimah Rodrigues batting at number four. We might see Harman bat at number four, with Jemimah dropping to number five.
“Regardless of her position, Harman should stop fixating on the wickets that have fallen and should not focus on rebuilding. When Harmanpreet Kaur is in form, she plays exceptionally. Once she gets settled, we will see her elegant straight drives and shots over deep mid-wicket. She excels against spinners, so if she can settle in, that will benefit India,” Shikha said on JioStar.
Get Jemimah at no. 3
On the other hand, former India batter Veda Krishnamurthy wants to see Jemimah Rodrigues bat at her regular no. 3, despite runs not coming from her bat in this T20 World Cup. “It’s about having faith in yourself. After a couple of low scores, you tend to overthink, which can cause a batter to retreat. Wickets were falling frequently against South Africa.
“Each time a partnership seemed to build, another wicket fell. In T20 cricket, maintaining momentum is critical. I would like to see Jemimah bat at number three. Clear roles make preparation easier. When you say, ‘Be flexible,’ it becomes hard for a batter to know if they should be ready from the first ball or the third over. Give clarity—either she bats at number four or number three. Avoid shifting her around based on game situations.”
India have two matches left — they play Bangladesh on Jun 25, whereas they face Australia on June 28 in their last group game. To progress to the semis, they must win both.
