Smriti Mandhana becomes first Indian woman with centuries across all three formats. Smriti Mandhana scored T20I hundred against England.
The Indian Women’s Cricket Team made a powerful start to their English summer, registering a comprehensive victory in the opening T20I at Trent Bridge. Leading from the front, stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana delivered a sensational performance, smashing her maiden T20I century. Her blistering knock of 112 off just 62 balls was a flawless display of timing, composure, and authority. With this landmark innings, Mandhana became the first Indian woman to score centuries across all three formats of international cricket- Test, ODI, and T20I, further cementing her legacy as one of the modern greats.
Today, in this article by Walking Wickets, we throw a light on her contributions towards the sport and what makes her a legend of the game.
Mandhana’s contribution to Indian Cricket
With her consistent performance across all the formats, she is the face of women’s cricket in the country. She has been a mainstay in the batting line up for years now. Overall, she has played 258 matches, scored 8,975 runs with 14 hundreds and 64 fifties under her belt.
Evolution of Smriti Mandhana
Smriti Mandhana has been playing for India since 2013 but it’s the past three years, since she has redefined herself and women’s cricket. She was a solid opening batter since her debut, but since 2022, she has emerged as one of the greats of the game, becoming a multi-format giant.
If we dive deeper into her stats, we’ll know how she has been a juggernaut in women’s cricket. Before 2022, she was a mere timer of the ball who used to make decent contributions as an opener. But post 2022, she has emerged as a power pack performer who knows how to bail the team out in tough situations.
Earlier, her strokes were very restricted as she used to play in limited areas. But now, she threatens the bowlers with her 360 degree ability. Moreover, earlier she was a bit hesitant in taking the aerial route, but now, she slog sweeps even the first ball that falls in her radar. Hence, this is Smriti Mandhana 2.0, the fearless, the daredevil opener of Indian Team who knows how to dominate in both, red and white ball cricket.
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A lot of credit for Mandhana’s evolution goes to Women’s Premier League as it provided the right platform in competing against the best, in honing her skills and in elevating her game to new heights.
The Mandhana Method: Analysing her technique
Being a left handed batter, Mandhana has always had that flair in her batting. We never see her hitting those ugly shots and such is the class she possesses. She has the knack of hitting the ball with elegance, on both sides of the wicket- off side and leg side. In fact, because of her technique and power, cricket pundits often compare him with Yuvraj Singh!
She is a complete batter as she has all the necessary ingredients. Her release shots- cover drive and pull shot are mesmerising and a delight to watch. What makes her a special player are the basics as she doesn’t try to modify her game, rather sticks to conventional shots, and that has been her success mantra.
Smriti Mandhana has a very calm energy and she replicates the same while batting. The clarity in her thought process is witnessed in her shot selections as well. The way she tries to keep things simple and yet effective is something that young people learn from her. In an interview, she mentioned how she tries to switch on and off between balls and how this simple technique has helped her in converting her early starts.
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What future holds for her
Mandhana is only 28 now and she has already achieved truckloads of milestones. She is a pillar of the Indian Team as the batting department relies heavily on her. Moreover, over the span of 12 years, she has devastated plenty of records and now she just needs to carry the same momentum in coming years.
With continued hard work, dedication, and passion for the game, she has the potential to achieve greater heights, solidifying her legacy as one of the GOATS of the game! Maybe she can even end India’s World Cup drought in the coming years.
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