Jemimah Rodrigues open to batting flexibility as India fine-tune lineup for T20 World Cup
Taunton, June 1
Star India women's cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues has said she is comfortable batting at any position in the lineup, emphasising that she can perform effectively as long as she has clarity about her role within the team. With the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 looming on the horizon, Team India are treating the ongoing series against England like a platform to fine-tune their playing 11.
At the heart of India's tactical flexibility is Rodrigues. Having anchored the No. 3 spot earlier this year against powerhouse teams like Australia and South Africa, the 25-year-old has willingly adapted to a floating role against England, dropping down to No. 4 and No. 5 in the opening two T20Is. Rather than being disrupted by the movement, Rodrigues views it as a necessary evolution for the squad.
"I think I'm comfortable at all positions. In the end, it is important for me to have clarity. And when I have clarity about a certain role, I know I can go out there and deliver. Now is the time where we have few more games to experiment about what's the best combination that's working for the team," said Rodrigues as quoted by the ICC website.
By moving Rodrigues down the batting order, India have created more opportunities for wicket-keeper batter Yastika Bhatia to spend time at the crease. Returning to the national team after nearly two years on the sidelines due to injury, Bhatia adds strength and depth to the batting lineup.
Rodrigues praised Bhatia for making a strong comeback after a lengthy injury layoff, saying her return has been a major boost for the team. She highlighted Bhatia's impressive performance in her first game back, where she scored 54 runs, and said it reflected the character and determination required to succeed after such a long absence.
"Yastika was not with us lately because of her injury. So this is the only game time that she's also getting. For us to have her here is a great advantage. We saw what she did in the first game, the way she batted. To come out after injury and do such a thing, it takes a lot of character." said the 25-year-old batter.
Rodrigues expressed satisfaction with Bhatia's progress and said she is pleased with the team's continued focus on strengthening their batting. She added that the squad is moving forward with a positive mindset of constant improvement and adding more depth to the batting lineup.
"I'm very happy with the way she's going and very happy with the fact that, we are still willing to add a little more in batting. And that's the kind of mindset we have. And that's the mindset we are going towards," Rodrigues said.
India Women won the first match against England by 38 runs but faced a 26-run defeat in the second match. The Women in Blue will face England for the decider on Tuesday at Taunton.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a neutral fan, I've been impressed by India's batting depth. Rodrigues dropping down to accommodate Bhatia shows real team spirit. The 26-run loss in the second T20I was just a blip, I think they'll win the decider.
So proud of Jemimah! She's been through ups and downs, but she's always put the team first. 💪 And Yastika's comeback after two years - that's pure grit. However, I wish they'd give more chances to young bowlers too. Batting alone won't win tournaments.
I appreciate the flexibility, but constantly moving players around can affect consistency. Rodrigues is at her best at No. 3. The experiment is fine for bilaterals, but for the World Cup, we need a settled lineup. And please, can we sort out the middle-order collapse? 😐
Having watched women's cricket in England, I think India are finally getting the balance right. The combination of Bhatia at the top and Rodrigues floating down the order adds real depth. The series decider should be a cracker at Taunton!
Great to see the positive mindset. But I'm a bit skeptical - this 'experimentation' phase should have been done during bilateral series against weaker teams, not against England. Still, I trust Rodrigues. She's a match-winner on her day. Let's see if the bowling unit steps up too.
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