The essence of Smriti Mandhana’s languid batting begins even before she enters the stadium. Just around the advertising cushions, Mandhana is often seen practicing her drive. It was no different before India’s innings against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup, as she took a few throwdowns from a member of the coaching staff. It was quite clear that Mandhana’s main aim was to get her head slightly forward in her stance and over the front foot. Even if you scroll through hundreds of videos of Mandhana’s net sessions on YouTube, this is one of the key features of her batting practice.
Unfortunately, the lithe and lissome form of her batting has been missing during the ongoing World Cup. So too has the roar of the crowd when she cracks a pull or drive. So, what is the missing link in Mandhana’s batting? It can’t be a lack of work ethic. Perhaps the conditions haven’t suited her. Barring a game or two where the dew made an impact, the wickets in Dubai and especially Sharjah have been on the slower side.
The way Mandhana was dismissed against New Zealand serves as an example. She skipped down the deck, but the ball from Eden Carson gripped and turned just enough, causing Mandhana to spoon a catch to the fielder stationed at mid-off.
Does that mean Mandhana has little chance of succeeding in the prevailing conditions in the UAE? The answer is a loud no. It could come down to just one shot for Mandhana to rediscover her batting rhythm. It is often true that a single drive, pull, or flick—or a wicket-taking ball—can give a player that little bit of feel. And just like that, the hands, eyes, and feet will fall in line, complementing the craft on display.
Earlier this year, in the Chinnaswamy ODI against South Africa, Mandhana showcased another facet of her game, focusing on singles and twos off the back foot while waiting for deliveries on the shorter side. Granted, the shortest format doesn’t allow the luxury of playing yourself in, but with Mandhana not in form, and considering the conditions, she might need to stick to Plan B for at least an over or two.
It’s not just India’s X-factor batter who hasn’t fired—there are a few more loose nuts and bolts. Harmanpreet Kaur, the India skipper, played with calm composure in the chase against Pakistan but ended up sustaining a neck problem. The management seems hopeful that Harmanpreet will take the field for the game against Sri Lanka, though there are doubts about her fitness, especially since she missed a practice session before the match.
India’s fielding woes are also a concern. Mandhana addressed this in the pre-match presser: “In the two matches, we did not play our best cricket, whether in bowling or batting. We are yet to play our best and the brand of cricket that we want to play.”
Visualise Mandhana in full flow from the press box, and you might come up with the following words: fun, the crackle of the willow, and excellence. Somewhere along the way, her bat hasn’t sung the right notes in this tournament. But maybe all it takes is a single shot for Mandhana to regain her confidence—whether she’s batting in the middle or during one of those throwdown sessions.