For nearly a decade, she has been a standout both on and off the field. On it, for her textbook cover drives that uphold Mumbai’s rich legacy of batsmanship in women’s cricket. Off it, for the viral social media posts — often with a guitar in hand — that have made her one of the game’s most recognisable personalities.

Beyond the attention online, from India’s perspective, she has steadily become the bedrock of the middle order. Her exploits for the national side, combined with consistent performances across franchise leagues worldwide, have established her as a genuine modern-day star.

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Remarkably, despite featuring in four T20 World Cups, Jemimah Rodrigues is only now set to make her ODI World Cup debut — a dream she has nurtured ever since she watched Sachin Tendulkar return home on that unforgettable April night in 2011, carried on the shoulders of his teammates.

Now, a buoyant Jemimah, a newly signed Red Bull athlete, reflects on her journey to her first Women’s ODI World Cup.

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Four T20 World Cups, but this will be your first ODI World Cup. What does an ODI World Cup mean to you?

I’m really looking forward to it, and I think the wait makes it even more special.

Besides the wait, what makes the ODI World Cup stand out for you? In 2017, you were at the airport, right?

Yes, I remember going as a 16-year-old to pick up the Indian women’s team. Until then, hardly anyone followed women’s cricket, but that day the airport was packed. That’s when I knew women’s cricket had made it.

Did the spark for you as a cricketer come then, or was it when you saw M.S. Dhoni lift the 2011 World Cup?

The spark ignited when India won the home World Cup.

And my house at that time was just behind Sachin Sir’s. So, when he came in his car, I actually saw him coming out, and there was no space for his car to move. It would have taken him three hours just to go less than a kilometre. So, I think, yeah, that’s when I was like, okay, World Cups are special in India.

Would you say missing the 2022 ODI World Cup was both your biggest setback and a major turning point?

Hundred per cent. What they say is true — every setback sets you up for a greater comeback. At the time, being dropped before the World Cup felt like the worst thing that could happen. But looking back, it’s one of the best. It forced me to change my game, work on my personality, understand myself better and step out of my comfort zone. That fall has made me a better player today.

Can you elaborate on how you made that turnaround happen?

It was a very difficult time. I used to cry almost every night and was struggling mentally. I even took a short break because I couldn’t handle being dropped and missing out on playing for my favourite team. After some time, I sat down with my coach, Prashant Sir (Shetty), and my dad, who also coaches me. We made a plan: I’d play two matches, but on tough pitches. At Azad Maidan, for example, mornings had so much dew you could press the surface down, and by the afternoon it turned square. I played against quality Mumbai boys — sometimes Under-12s, sometimes U-19s, sometimes older. Stepping out of my comfort zone and training in those conditions helped me understand my game far better. So when I came back to international cricket, where you usually get good batting tracks, it felt much easier.

In that phase, besides your family and cricket support system, who was your biggest source of strength?

Apart from my family and cricket, I’d say God — Jesus — because my faith is built on Him. When everything around me feels uncertain, He is the rock that keeps me steady. I hold on to the belief that something good will come, even when things look bad. It always works out, and that has helped me a lot.

You’ve never struggled with fitness, but maintaining cricket-level fitness across 12 months is demanding. How has your training adapted to that?

I take fitness very seriously because there’s always room to improve. For me, fitness is as important as batting. You can have all the skill, but without fitness and stamina, you won’t last — especially in a 50-over game, which is long and taxing. My goal is to have the same energy and strength at the 300th ball as I did at the first, and that’s what motivates me.

Working with Red Bull makes it even more exciting. They have an athlete’s performance centre in Austria with world-class facilities — half of which I don’t even understand, but they’re amazing. This partnership feels like more than just a signing; it’s like working with family. They genuinely want to help me improve and reach my highest potential.

Do you think, over the past couple of years, your cricket has started to speak louder than the chatter about your social media posts?

I used to feel bad when people focused more on my social media, because I’ve always been lively and active there. But I didn’t give it too much importance. I knew that if I worked hard and gave my 100%, that was enough. As long as my intent was right, the rest didn’t matter. Even now, I’m not doing it to silence anyone — I’m doing it to help Team India win and to stay true to my intent in whatever I do.

Published on Sep 28, 2025