Vadodara: Indian women's cricket team's former captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, has revealed that rigorous daily batting practice, often spanning three sessions, was instrumental in regaining her form after a prolonged lean patch. The 37-year-old emphasized her need for extensive practice to maintain batting rhythm.

Kaur's recent struggles with the bat were a major talking point. However, she silenced critics with a blistering unbeaten 91 off just 41 balls against Zimbabwe in the final T20 International. Her stellar performance continued into the ODI series, where she notched a match-winning 126 in the second game.

In a candid conversation with Deepti Sharma, shared by the BCCI, Harmanpreet stated, “I practiced a lot at home. The more you bat, the more your confidence grows. I used to bat in the morning, afternoon, and evening – three sessions a day.” She added, “I am one of those players who needs a lot of practice. Given my age, I like to dedicate a lot of time to my fitness. Besides that, I batted extensively because I felt my batting was lacking something. The time spent at home is now paying off.”

In the second ODI in Vadodara on Sunday, Harmanpreet came to the crease after a quick succession of wickets, with captain Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma dismissed early. Instead of succumbing to pressure, Harmanpreet and opener Prathika Rawal (61 runs) steadied the innings, forging a crucial 124-run partnership for the third wicket. Later, Harmanpreet added 153 runs with Deepti Sharma, who remained unbeaten on 106. India secured a 121-run victory, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

“I was talking to Prathika about the pitch and the bowlers' deliveries. We were just thinking about how to build the innings. After two early wickets, the batting team usually comes under pressure. But neither of us took any pressure. We were relying on each other's strengths,” Harmanpreet explained, highlighting their strategic approach under pressure.

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