Trisha Ghosal in Mullanpur
On the eve of the second ODI against Australia, Deepti Sharma was calm and composed in front of the press. The all-rounder stressed that India were not dwelling on their defeat in the opening game, and that the focus was firmly on carrying forward the positives from the first game. From fielding lapses to the challenge posed by Australia, Deepti addressed a wide range of questions, highlighting the team’s confidence and clarity of roles.
“No big difference between India and Australia”
Asked about what makes the Australian side such a difficult opponent, Deepti was quick to downplay the gap. “I don’t think there’s a huge difference between us and them. Winning and losing is part of the game—it doesn’t mean one team is always superior. Both teams play with the same spirit to win.”
Positives from the first ODI
Reflecting on India’s start to the series, she remained upbeat. “Whatever happened in the first match, we’ve taken positive takeaways from it. The things we did well—whether batting partnerships or small aspects as a unit—we’ll look to carry those forward into the second ODI.”
Fielding lapses ‘just a one-off’
India dropped crucial chances in the first ODI, but Deepti refused to overthink the issue. “It wasn’t a problem with the lights. We’ve fielded well in back-to-back series recently. Any team can have one bad day. We don’t dwell on it—we focus on what we’ve done well and how to take that forward.”
She added, “You’ll definitely see more positives in our fielding going forward.”
On spin and bowling conditions
India’s spinners struggled to make an impact, but Deepti remained philosophical. “Sometimes it happens—you put in all the effort, you want to do well as a bowler, but it just doesn’t come off on that day. For me, the thought process is always to look for wickets, and hopefully we’ll see that in the coming matches.”
N Sree Charani rise earns praise
Deepti also had words of encouragement for young bowler N Sree Charani. “She’s a good learner. She asks questions, she wants to improve, and that always helps. She’s played T20s, now she’s gaining one-day experience. Discussing things with seniors makes it easier to deliver in matches. She’s definitely growing with each game.”
Balancing roles as an all-rounder
On her personal preparation, Deepti emphasised clarity of thought. “Whenever I practice, I prepare myself mentally first. With batting, I focus on different shots, thinking about where to play and how many balls to face. With bowling, I think about variations, angles, and when to use a particular delivery. That clarity helps me a lot.”
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