"Slight shift in mindset worked in my favour"

Since January 2019, Jemimah Rodrigues has had a T20I strike rate of 98.8 at an average of 22.39, which put too much pressure on the openers to deliver in every single game. A result of which India dropped her from the T20I series against South Africa and England, raising a lot of questions regarding her place in the side for the next year's 50-Over World Cup.

However, on her The Hundred debut for Nothern Super Chargers, Rodrigues led the way with an unbeaten 92 off 43 balls to end an 18-month barren run without a fifty. Speaking after the knock, the Mumbaikar stated that she wasn't getting an opportunity to play and on Saturday, she decided to stay calm and deliver.

"I wasn't getting an opportunity to play. Then when I got that opportunity in the second ODI [against England], I put a lot of pressure on myself. I said, 'I have to go out there, make the most of it and score runs' and all these things," Rodrigues said.

"I had to stay calm and play my game because I am good enough, that's why I'm playing in the team. That was a slight shift that I got my mindset on, that I don't need to put too much pressure on myself to go out and score or prove myself or make it big.

"I just stuck to my game, kept things simple and played the best cricket I possibly knew. I was batting really well in the nets and that makes a lot of difference because I knew there was nothing wrong with my technique or anything it's just going out there with a new mindset so I just worked from that."

In 2019, Rodrigues, all of 18, produced an unbeaten 112 off just 58 balls for Yorkshire Diamonds to defeat Southern Vipers in the Kia Super League. She took inspiration from that to return back to form.

"This time in was in a big stadium in front of a crowd and also coming back after a long time so this definitely did feel very special. I know these girls, in 2019 they made me feel very comfortable. Coming back here, it really feels like coming home. I love batting in England, the wickets are more batter-friendly than in India," she said.

"It was a very good innings and a much-needed one for me personally... It's just very good being back."