NEWS
Follow UsAustralia Women completed a 3-0 whitewash in the One-Day International (ODI) series against India Women, with a convincing 190-run win in the third game in Mumbai.
India have been let down terribly by their fielding not just in this game, but across the three-match series, which is something batter Jemimah Rodrigues accepts and calls for improvement.
"I don't think there's any reason we can give, we need to accept what we've done. We've not played to our highest potential, especially in the fielding department there's a lot of work we need to still continue [doing]. We have been working on it but definitely not the standard expected for the Indian women's cricket team. But I can assure you that we will work on it and come back stronger," Jemimah said after the third ODI.
"I don't think it's anything to do with fatigue. I think it's just something we need to really work on. I wouldn't blame anything because we've been getting everything - the practices we want, the light practices [under floodlights] and everything. I just can't say it was a bad day because a bad day can't keep on coming again and again. But again I'm telling you, we promise you that we are going to work hard on this aspect.
"We've already spoken and each individual understands how important fielding is. And taking those catches and saving those runs might just end up winning matches. From all of our side we promise you that we'll work extremely hard on our fielding and extremely hard on our fitness. It might take a while. Results are not in our hands but what's in our hands is the hardwork that we put in and I can assure you that it will be a 100 percent every time."
Since Amol Muzumdar has taken over as the India Women head coach, the side has won a Test against England and Australia. But conceded the T20I series against England 2-1 and now have suffered a massive defeat at the hands of Australia.
Jemimah has backed the newly-appointed coach saying that it will take some time for the team and the coaching staff to get along really well.
"It's a new coaching staff. We've not spent a lot of time with Amol sir, whatever time we've spent is just before the series could start. But before that, for Amol sir to understand the girls, I think he's done his homework before coming in. But then coming in and gelling up, and even for the girls to gel up with Amol sir...because it's not easy whenever a new coach comes in but I think the best part of our team was everyone gelled up well. And everyone understood each other and the roles really well and really quick," Rodrigues said.
"But of course we need a little more time, maybe some camp where we can actually get to work together even more because that's just going to help us. But I think having Amol sir has really helped us a lot and the girls have gelled up really well with him. We are very comfortable and he's very comfortable with us. But for us it's just about how we are going to get better. About the T20s we've not had a conversation yet, because we kept it for after the ODIs, we wanted to go one match at a time."
In fact, Jemimah credited the support staff for managing the workload in the back-to-back series against England and Australia well.
"Credit goes to our support staff because they've been having a lot of conversations regarding our workload. It is very intense, we've played two Tests and a lot of matches throughout this one month. But I think the way our trainers, our physios, our masseurs and also the coaching staff have come together and sorted out a plan, everyone has been looked after," the India batter said.
"We have our GPS unit, each one is on and everyone's is calculated. And accordingly rest is given and accordingly if someone has not done as much, they might push a little harder in the nets. So credit goes to them. They've been managing it really well. At the same time we have no complaints because all we wanted to do was play matches and we're getting to play matches. That's how we'll learn, that's how we'll grow, the more we play as a team."
India will turn their attention to the T20I series against Australia, which will begin from Friday (January 5) onwards in Navi Mumbai.
