Harman hopes to salvage injury-hit year in Aus T20s
The seasoned batter will look to shake off her latest setback, a thumb injury, when she leads India today
I learnt a lot sitting on the sidelines. I am quite better now, I have confidence and I am hitting the ball well in the nets. HARMANPREET KAUR, India T20skipper
CHANDIGARH: It’s been little more than two months since India T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur played a competitive match. She had played for Manchester Originals in The Hundred in England before a quadriceps injury cut short her stint in the T20 tournament.
The 32-year-old Indian batter was hopeful of taking part in the multi-format series in Australia from the start but a thumb injury forced her out of the ODI series and pink-ball Test. Kaur hit the nets only last week and returns to lead India in a threematch T20 series starting on Thursday, but much depends on her form too.
Kaur gave Indian women’s cricket a massive boost when she hit an unbeaten 171 in the 2017 World Cup semi-finals against Australia. However, four years on, the player from Moga in Punjab has not come close to making such an impact and has been weighed down by a spate of injuries. In the last two years, she has not been in great form in any format.
Since that 171 in Derby, Kaur has struggled, especially in ODIS, scoring just two half-centuries. While young batters like Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana have bolstered the T20 team with their strokeplay, Kaur has not produced any defining performance. She flopped in the standalone Test in England and in the ODI series though discovered form in the following T20 series, scoring 36, 31 and 1. She carried the momentum into The Hundred scoring 29, 49, 26 for Manchester Originals.
This year, she suffered a hipflexor injury in March, then tested Covid-positive and a groin injury hampered her England tour.
In Australia, she was just out of the hard quarantine when she hurt her thumb during nets. A lot would thus be on her mind when she goes out to bat in the first T20 against Australia at Carrara. The matches will give Kaur an opportunity to regain touch in white-ball cricket building up to next year’s ODI World Cup in New Zealand.
Ahead of the T20s, Kaur spoke of how tough it was to stay on the sidelines and that she could have recovered for the Test if there was a bigger gap after the
final ODI.
“Earlier, when I got injured, it was difficult… I learnt a lot sitting on the sidelines. I am quite better now, I have confidence and I am hitting the ball well in the nets. I missed the ODI series and Test because I was not fit and it was hampering my fielding. But I am perfectly fine now, I have a lot of cricket coming up, so I am excited,” said Kaur, who has played 117 T20 internationals and 107 ODIS.
Indian did poorly in the first ODI, but lost the next after a controversial no ball for height off
the last-ball before winning the final game. India dominated the rain-hit Test that was drawn. Under experienced skipper Mithali Raj, youngsters Yastika Bhatia, Richa Ghosh, Meghna Singh and Pooja Vastrakar are playing to potential.
Under the multi-format series, Australia hold a 6-4 points lead. Each T20 win will be worth two points.
“It was tough. Initially, we didn’t play for a year, and then when opportunities came I got injured back to back,” Kaur said. “You have to accept it sometimes
and give time to yourself. Personally, if I keep feeling things aren’t going my way, I’ll end up draining myself. Right now, I am looking forward to playing whatever comes my way. I want to give it 100%. I’m thankful to the support staff for taking care of me, managing my workload.”
Former India cricketer Saba Karim, who was BCCI general manager (game development), said during an interaction arranged by Sony Sports: “It is unfortunate that Harman injured her thumb. She is an incredible player who has been
India’s mainstay for a long time… In the past, she has struggled at times but these conditions are different and I am sure she will enjoy playing. She has done well in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) in the past.” Kaur, who has not played much domestic cricket since 2017, will skip the domestic onedayers starting October 28 and play for Melbourne Renegades in the WBBL from October 14.
Former India captain and current BCCI apex council member, Shantha Rangaswamy, has been critical of Kaur’s approach to fitness. “She had come from The Hundred injured and before that she got injured during the South Africa series at home. If she is prone to injuries, she should avoid playing overseas leagues and prioritise playing for India. She is an impact player and the team needs her. BCCI can step in and stop players from playing in leagues ahead of important tours like Australia,” she said.
In Kaur’s absence, India ended Australia’s record ODI winning streak at 26 matches. “We have seen what Smriti and Shafali can do at the top. I am sure they will put India in a strong position, but in the middle overs and to play right till the end, you need the experience of Harman. As soon as this series is over, the girls will play WBBL; it is a great time for them to strike form,” Karim said. Seven Indian players will feature in the WBBL.
While all eyes will be on Kaur, focus will also be on batter Jemimah Rodrigues, who has not played a game on this tour till now. Kaur said the side has high hopes on Rodrigues, having seen how she played in The Hundred. Rodrigues had a brilliant first year with Northern Superchargers, aggregating 249 runs with a top score of 92*. She hit three half-centuries.