Shikha Pandey is keeping a close eye on Harmanpreet Kaur’s numbers. Three innings into the T20 World Cup, India’s captain has 72 runs at a strike-rate of 109.09 – reasonable, but short of the tempo she normally brings to India’s middle order. Pandey, speaking on JioStar’s Game Plan, feels the issue is less about form and more about mindset.
“Harmanpreet Kaur’s strike rate is a cause for concern for India’s middle order,” Pandey said on the programme. “If a wicket falls early, we have seen Yastika Bhatia walk in, with Jemimah Rodrigues at number four. We might see Harman come in to bat at number four and Jemimah drop down to number five.”
The former India seamer believes the captain’s best cricket appears once she stops worrying about collapses around her. “But wherever she bats, Harman should stop thinking about the wickets that have fallen and not try to rebuild because we have seen that when Harmanpreet Kaur is on song, she is a completely different player altogether.”
That freedom, Pandey added, unlocks the straight drives and muscular swats over mid-wicket that have long been Harmanpreet’s signature. “Once she gets set, we’ll see those straight drives and those shots over deep midwicket. She is excellent against spinners, so if she can just get set, it will be great for India.”
Rodrigues searching for rhythm
India’s middle-order shuffle has not helped Jemimah Rodrigues either. Against South Africa she slid from No.3 to No.5, scored 16 off 20 balls and never quite found her tempo. The switch, combined with two earlier lean knocks, has put her position under the microscope.
Veda Krishnamurthy would rather leave Rodrigues alone at first drop. “It’s about believing in yourself,” Veda said. “When there are a couple of low scores, you start thinking too much, and that is when a batter kind of goes into a shell.”
South Africa exposed India’s recurring problem: partnerships. They broke every stand before it grew past 33. “The wickets fell at regular intervals against South Africa. Every time it looked like a partnership was going to build, a wicket fell. In T20 cricket, you need to maintain that momentum as much as possible,” Veda noted.
Her suggestion is simple: stability. “For Jemimah, I’d still like to see her bat at number three. Just give her one role because it makes it a lot easier to prepare that way. The minute you say, ‘Be flexible,’ you don’t know whether to be ready from the first ball or from the third over. It kind of gets difficult for a batter.”
Charani shines with the ball
While the batting is a work-in-progress, India have uncovered a bright spot with the ball. Nineteen-year-old left-arm spinner Shree Charani has claimed ten wickets in three outings and sits near the top of the tournament charts.
“The way Shree Charani has bowled in tandem with Deepti Sharma has been great to watch,” Pandey observed. “In the three games she has played so far, she has taken ten wickets. She has been varying her pace really well.”
Charani’s dismissal of Annerie Dercksen drew particular praise. “The wicket she got of Annerie Dercksen was probably the best ball you would want to bowl as a left-arm spinner, pitching on off and middle and taking out the off stump. She has been phenomenal with her lengths while keeping the stumps in play all the time.”
What India need now
The equation is clear enough: beat Bangladesh on Thursday, then win the final group match, and even then keep one eye on net run-rate. Harmanpreet’s side have banked two victories already, yet the loss to South Africa means there is no room for a dip.
A brisk start from the captain would settle plenty of nerves. Just as importantly, clarity around Rodrigues’ role and continued frugality from Charani could nudge India towards the last four. They do not need fireworks; they just need their best cricket to surface at the right time – something Pandey believes is still very much in their hands.
