Never felt like Jemimah was under a lot of pressure, says long-time coach Shetty

New Delhi, Oct 24 With the pitch at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai being good for batting, it was no surprise to see Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal set the foundation for India’s crucial 53-run win over New Zealand with scintillating centuries.

But there was another important cog in India’s wheel of posting a huge 340/3 in 49 overs – local girl Jemimah Rodrigues coming out at number three to hit an unbeaten 76 off 55 balls. It was a game where Jemimah rewrote her World Cup narrative – after bagging two ducks and losing her spot in the playing eleven in the four-run loss to England in Indore.

As India booked their semi-final spot in front of a record 23,180 spectators, it also announced the return to form for Jemimah, who hit the fastest fifty for India in the ongoing competition in 38 balls. Seeing Jemimah soar high with the bat left her long-time coach, Prashant Shetty, beaming with pride and happiness.

“It was very good and she played very well right from the start. It never felt like that she was under a lot of pressure or wasn't in the team in the game before this and had to do something. She played with absolute confidence from the first ball and she kept a good momentum, as well as played the situation well,” said Shetty in an exclusive conversation with IANS from Mumbai.

Before the unbeaten 76, Jemimah’s time in the World Cup wasn’t sailing smoothly – two ducks, knocks of 32 and 33 and when the India team brought in a sixth bowler for the match against England, the right-handed batter found herself out of the eleven. Shetty, who’s coached the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prithvi Shaw and Arjun Tendulkar among others, recalled the emotions Jemimah had after being left out of the clash against England.

“Mindset-wise, she was feeling very bad. Obviously, when she was preparing, she had it in her to score a lot of runs for the team and play a very important role in making the team win. So she entered the tournament with that mindset, but she never felt for even one percent that she would be dropped in the competition.”

“So that was a big setback for her and it felt like a dream collapsing. She was very upset in her process to come out of that mindset and found it very difficult to accept that she got dropped because the performances weren't behind her. In all, it was a big setback for her,” he said.

The criticism of Jemimah being dismissed while playing the sweep shot was swift and unsparing. In the depths of disappointment, Jemimah’s support system of coach Shetty and her parents, Ivan and Lavita, worked in harmony to give her a reminder that all was not over yet and that she can still be in the eleven and make the team win in the run-up to the clash in Navi Mumbai.

Over the years, Jemimah’s support system has worked in harmony – Shetty would talk to her parents first and if he said something, they would continue that conversation with her. If her parents say something, Shetty continues the chat in the same vein with Jemimah, so that she doesn't get to hear different voices.

"Our conversation was about what is in her control. It's not like she was told that you are out of the tournament. I mean, she can come back any time, because the team will think about bringing her back into the playing eleven at any point. So we told her that she can still play and that India can still win and we are very much alive in the tournament.”

“There were two things I told her - to prepare well and have that kind of preparation that you are playing the next match. Like don't think about whether you will play or not, because why are you thinking about things that are out of your control? Just prepare well for the game."

"One more thing was whatever chance you get to bat, play compact first. This is very important because when you have a setback, you feel to do a lot of things due to the nerves - like hit a boundary or do something else. But one should be totally aware that how you are going to play in the first moments and what your tactics are."

"So we thought that she should play compact first. After that, play as per what the situation demands. So that was our conversation - prepare in such a way that you don't think that you were dropped before. Like, it should be top-notch and then leave the rest to your destiny," he elaborated.

Coming in after Smriti fell, Jemimah knew she had to keep the tempo going, especially with the team management sending her out ahead of Harleen Deol. It was no small challenge, but Jemimah managed to rise to the occasion.

"That was part of the plan made. For this, you will see that the first ball was properly defended by her. Then the third ball was also defended. It's very easy to just go out and start playing your shots, but then that fear of failure is there - so how can you start well, that was important for her to plan well," he said.

She took six balls, including taking three singles, to get her eye in. Once the boundaries started flowing, there was no looking back for Jemimah. The drives became her most productive shot, while she manoeuvred the field against spinners with trademark sweeps and reverse-sweeps, all of which screamed that Jemimah was back to doing what she knows best.

"She also hit a lot of boundaries along the ground and I found that very striking. One more thing we said to her was that when you go, your body language, walk, and whatever you have, no one should feel on seeing that that you were dropped last time.”

“You just walk with that confidence and personality which Jemi has - so stick to your personality and just go. After that, whatever happens, just watch and go as per that," he said.

This was surprisingly just the fourth innings at number three for Jemimah, who was once touted as a natural heir to Mithali Raj's spot in the ODIs for a very similar style of play. On the day when she hit 76 not out off 55 balls, laced with 11 boundaries, Jemimah showed what finding strength and bouncing back in style feels like when everything seems to be falling apart, especially on the emotional front.

"This knock defines her a lot because there are so many ebbs and flows. You enter the tournament thinking that you will do so well because you have to win at home this time, right? But you don't start well and get out on the first ball, and that is a disappointment. It is difficult for you to recover in the next match. No matter how much you say, there was a setback.”

"After that, you are coming out and being dismissed on the same shot. There is so much criticism of you, and then you are dropped for a game. There are lots of ups and downs, and coming back from there speaks a lot about her character. The way she has kept her mental balance, this episode will always be with her for the rest of her life.”

"There are so many emotions - lots of self-doubt, anger and you can understand that. But after that, staying composed and concentrating on the job on hand, she has shown great character. In her entire career, what has happened in these days, she will always remember lessons from this.”

“See, a setback happens to everyone in their lifetime. But how you make a comeback defines your character. Yesterday I felt that Jemimah found another version of herself - that she can comeback from any setback and do well to come out of this situation," he elaborated.

As India march into the semi-finals, they do so with a batting order that suddenly looks more flexible, thanks to Jemimah coming good at number three. “As they say, some things do happen when they are meant to happen. That decision was very good and it just worked very well."

"She has now given the option to the team management that I can bat well at number three. She has shown that I can bat at number three after 35 overs as well, or from 10th or 12th overs too. Also, we are peaking at the right time as a team, something which is very important to do."

“So, yesterday's performance, and peaking at the right time by scoring runs at number three, means she has given a good option to the Indian team. Plus, it is not just number three - if you think, she can come at number four as well. You never know, but it augurs very well, going into the tournament, in the knockout stage," said Shetty.

Thursday evening’s win over New Zealand at the DY Patil Stadium served as a powerful reminder from Jemimah that setbacks are temporary, and champions are defined not by how they start but by how they respond when things go wrong.

In a tournament filled with immense pressure and heightened expectations, Jemimah found her way back when it mattered the most. This time, her dreams didn't collapse - they soared high and if the stakes rise again in Navi Mumbai on November 2, don’t be surprised if it’s Jemimah’s bat that leads India to victory.

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