‘I don’t love anything more than cricket’ – Smriti Mandhana in first interview after calling off wedding

Indian women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has endured an emotional roller-coaster over the past month. After playing a crucial role in India’s historic triumph at the Women’s World Cup, she soon faced a difficult phase in her personal life. Now, the star opener is back to doing what she loves most, playing cricket.

Mandhana is set to feature in the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka, beginning on December 21. This will mark India’s first bilateral assignment since their Women’s World Cup final on November 2. On Wednesday, December 10, Mandhana reunited with captain Harmanpreet Kaur at an event, where she opened up about her mindset and recent experiences.

“Well, to be fair, I mean, as Harman said, the love for the game, and I don’t think I love anything in life more than cricket. So, when you go out to bat or when you go out to represent your country, I don’t think any other thoughts are there in your mind. When you put on the Indian jersey, the only thing you want to do is represent India and win the match for the country,” Mandhana said at an event in Delhi as quoted by NDTV Sports.

“And yeah, I mean, the biggest motivation is when you put on the jersey and India is written on it. I mean, I always tell everyone that once you put on the jersey, you just keep all your problems aside and just be on the field, because you have a responsibility and you are one among two billion people who are representing your country. And I mean, just the thought of that is enough for you to have that razor-sharp focus and do what you want to do,” she added.

Mandhana also addressed reports of disagreements within the team, clarifying that every player shares the common goal of winning for the country. She added that healthy discussions are essential for a team’s growth and success, and such conversations often play a key role in achieving victories.

“Well, I think, firstly, I don’t look at it as an issue because everyone is wanting to win the game for the country and everyone has their own opinion on how we will win the game for the country,” Mandhana said.

“But genuinely, if we don’t have those discussions or arguments, we aren’t winning on the ground. Because if we do not have those sorts of discussions where we are disagreeing about something, that means we are not passionate enough to win the match for the team. So, we definitely do have those sorts of discussions,” she added.