Sport is cruel. Just when you think nothing can go wrong and the negativity is behind you, something happens that is least expected. That’s what transpired with Pratika Rawal against Bangladesh. She over ran the ball and then suffered that severe ankle sprain. It looked dire, and as she limped off, it was evident that her World Cup was over. With 308 runs, including a match-winning hundred against New Zealand, Pratika was a star for India in this competition.
Against Australia in the pool stage, she played a very strong hand. To not have her in the semi-final is a massive blow for India. Now we also know that she is out for the next five to six months. For anyone, this is a setback, and more so if you are young and making a mark. It will test her. Impact her mental health. And this is when, as analysts and fans, we need to stand by her and give her every possible support.
She will be a wiser person at the end of this recovery period and will surely be a better player both on and off the field. Pratika is being treated by Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala. There is none better, to be honest, and I’d be very keen that Dr Pardiwala gets her to speak to Rishabh Pant. His words will help and give her the self-belief that she will so desperately need.
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India have named Shafali Verma as her replacement. A very logical call, but it will not be easy for Shafali against a team like Australia. And yet, it is a huge opportunity. A good effort from Shafali, and she will be an overnight hero. The semi-final will challenge her, and she would do well to remember the words Sachin Tendulkar said to her ahead of the 2020 World T20 in Australia, when she announced herself on the big stage.
For her, it will be about dealing with pressure. Don’t get too be charged up. Soak in the moment, and yet stay in it. Don’t think too far ahead and keep a lid on her emotions. That she has potential is known. It is her inconsistency that has let her down, and that’s what she will need to tackle against Australia. It is a 50-over game and not a 20-over bash. A cameo of 20 or 25 will not help India. That’s what Shafali needs to remember when she walks out with Smriti Mandhana in Navi Mumbai.
As we fully support Pratika and stand by her, it is also important that we back Shafali. She needs to do it for herself and for India. It would be the best gift for Pratika as she starts her recovery process. It is a very young India on show, and one that is speaking in a language that we will stand up and applaud. It could be historic against Australia – as it was in Derby in 2017, when Harmanpreet Kaur’s epic 171 not out floored them – and we will all be waiting for Shafali to defy the odds and make a statement. It could well be on behalf of Pratika, and for every Indian cricket fan.
Also Read: Shafali Verma added to India squad, Pratika Rawal could be out of action for 4 to 6 months