3 reasons why India needs to shift Jemimah Rodrigues to No.3 in 2024 Women's T20 World Cup
It was a disastrous start to the campaign for the India Women’s team as they suffered a morale-shattering loss to the New Zealand in their opening 2024 T20 World Cup clash. The 58-run defeat has put India on the brink of elimination with three more games still left.
The remaining games are against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Australia and they need to win all their matches to go through to the semi-final. Any more hiccups from here on could see their campaign come to an end even before starting properly.
On a tricky Dubai wicket, New Zealand posted a more than competitive score of 160 and in the end, it proved to be more than enough for the Black Ferns. India was never really in the game as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. None of the experienced batters could make a significant impact and the top scorer for them was Harmanpreet Kaur with a score of 15.
India doesn't have too much time to regather themselves as they square off against their arch-rivals Pakistan in their second game on October 6. The team has all the attributes to win their remaining games but it looks a bit far-fetched given how they lost their opening game against New Zealand.
They will be eager to put this behind and for that to happen, India might need to tinker some changes in their batting order. Jemimah Rodrigues, who came out to bat at number four in the opening game, could be pushed up the order.
Having said that, let us have a look at three possible reasons why India needs to shift Jemimay Rodrigues to No 3 in the remaining matches.
#1 Jemimah has the ability to score at a good rate without taking undue risks
Jemimah Rodrigues brings a whole new dimension to the Indian batting line-up. She is someone who doesn't have all the big shots like Shafali Verma or Richa Ghosh but her strike rate has been pretty impressive despite her style of play.
She keeps rotating the strike in the middle overs and never fails to capitalize on any loose deliveries. She is a compulsive sweeper and started off with a boundary on the very first delivery against New Zealand. With India’s back against the wall, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur might push Jemimah up the order to provide stability without taking any undue risks.
#2 Jemimah Rodrigues can weather the storm if there is an early wicket
Jemimah is one of the most accomplished batters in the Indian team and technically one of the most sound batters going around. She hardly has a chink in her armour especially when it comes to technique. If India loses early wickets, Jemimah has the ability to come in at number three and play pace and spin equally well.
She can bat sensibly and make sure that the rest of the batters can bat around her. With powerful strikers like Harmanpreet Kaur, Richa Ghosh and Pooja Vastrakar being part of the middle and the lower middle order, it's important for Jemimah to spend considerable time in the middle.
On pitches like Dubai and Sharjah, a technically sound batter might be much more beneficial than an out-and-out basher which makes number three the ideal position for Jemimah. India’s next game is against Pakistan on October 6.
#3 Jemimah has the ability to mould her game according to the situation of the game
Unlike the modern-day batters, Jemimah is more from the traditional mould who loves finding the gaps rather than heavily relying on aerial shots. She has plied her trade globally, playing in different T20 competitions and has made a significant impact.
What she brings to the table is her ability to adjust to different conditions and play according to the game's situation. While she is more of a playmaker than someone who goes hammers and tongs, Jemimah still has the game to score runs at a brisk rate. Batting at number three could be ideal for Jemimah and India.