ICC Women's World Cup 2017: Smriti Mandhana contemplated alternate career options after suffering career-threatening injury earlier this year

An elegant stroke maker, Smriti Mandhana plays with the grace that belies her age

What’s the story?

After bouncing back from a career-threatening injury that she sustained during the 2017 Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), Indian opening stalwart Smriti Mandhana was forced to consider other career options. And her love of cooking led her to contemplate a career as a chef.

“Apart from cricket, she had a lot of interest in cooking. She loves her cooking like anything after cricket. She wanted to become a chef had she not succeeded in cricket. She even cooks for us when she is at home,” said her father as reported by XtraTime.

In case you didn’t know…

Mandhana has had a stellar Women’s World Cup so far, top scoring for India with scores of 90 and 106 in the two games so far. Both scores have come at a decent clip as well, exhibiting accumulation and hard hitting. The 20-year-old was part of the Brisbane Heat team in the WBBL but unfortunately, her time Down Under was cut short due to an injury that saw her tear her meniscus as well as the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee – putting her a big question mark a to whether she could carry on her duties on the cricket field.

The injury also meant that she had not played any cricket since January prior to the World Cup. 

The details

After being injured, the 20-year-old worked on getting back to fitness at the NCA and had the utmost praise for the coaching staff there for rehabilitating her in time for the World Cup. For a while, she considered a career in cooking but regained faith in her ability as a cricketer as her recovery progressed.

So far, she has a stunning average of 37 in 25 One-Day Internationals, at a decent strike rate of 77. She is likely to have a long and fruitful career with her strength of character, ambition and skillfully aggressive batsmanship. 

What’s next?

India’s next game is tomorrow, against Pakistan. They have five games left in the group stage and will need two more wins to solidify a spot in the semi-finals. India, however, will have hopes of placing at the top of the table. If Mandhana’s blistering form continues, India’s hopes of qualifications will automatically be much much higher. 

Author’s take 

It is slightly unnerving that women cricketers are still thinking of other careers, especially so early into their cricketing ones, but steady increases in benefits and pay have made women players much more financially secure in India of late. The NCA’s role in this is to be commended, and their development of women’s talent is fantastic.

Mandhana’s story is a heartening one, one that will inspire young girls passionate in the game to pursue a career in it. The opportunities for women cricketers are ever growing nowadays and Mandhana has made good use of those from an early age. It is a testament to the growing strength of Indian cricket that she didn’t bow her head down to a leg injury and persevered at the highest stage.