In 2026, England will host the next edition of the T20 World Cup, marking the beginning of a journey for the Indian team to develop a formidable pool of players.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kiran Navgire, with her exceptional six-hitting skills, is one batter who is eager to make a strong case for national selection, especially in the shortest format where she can dominate the game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kiran, who previously had limited success in her six T20Is for the Indian team, is enthusiastic about performing her best in the upcoming domestic season as she takes on the responsibility of opening the batting for Maharashtra.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kiran\u2019s preparation for the domestic season is also boosted by her dedicated efforts during the off-season camp with her WPL team UP Warriorz in Lucknow.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe off-season camp was very beneficial, as I will opening in the domestic competitions for Maharashtra. I will try to implement whatever I have learnt in the camp, as this season is very important for me. There has been a lot of improvement because we put in a lot of effort there.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cSome very good coaches came and shared their experiences, as well as get us to practice basic fielding drills. They talked about fitness a lot because they have seen and played international cricket for many years.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cSo, they shared their experiences on how we can do it and reach that level. We get to learn a lot of things that we don\u2019t get to do when we practice at home. A player needs a lot of experience to improve, and we get to learn all these things in the camp to improve our game,\u201d says Kiran in an exclusive conversation with IANS.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In WPL 2024, Kiran managed just one half-century as she amassed 110 from eight matches at a strike-rate of 146.66. Despite the modest returns, Kiran earned a spot in the India \u2018A\u2019 tour of Australia in August, where she contributed 87 runs from four outings, with her best effort being a 20-ball 38.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Watching the Australian players, including established players like Tahlia McGrath, her UP Warriorz teammate, and Tayla Vlaeminck, in action provided Kiran with numerous valuable lessons.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt was a very good experience of playing against the \u2018A\u2019 team of Australia, the best team in the world, in their home. We learnt a lot about how the players work for bettering their own game. Plus, how they work as a team and put in continuous efforts added to our learning curve. I have learnt a lot about what we can do better.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThere was a match where wickets were falling from one side for Australia. But Katie Mack stayed on one side and scored a hundred and won that match, which taught a lot.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cPlus, one thing was that until the ball doesn\u2019t go to the boundary, they don\u2019t stop chasing the ball. They put so much effort into fielding that it is very difficult for us to get the runs while running between the wickets. So we can also do all these things if we work properly.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Being a part of the Warriorz team in the WPL for two seasons has helped Kiran develop a deeper understanding of the need to work harder on her fielding, fitness, and batting abilities. \u201cI feel if I play more on the off-side, the results will be better. In the WPL, we got to learn how to build our innings and win matches.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cForeign players are coming to India and seeing them, everyone feels that fielding and fitness is as important as bowling and batting. So we are managing all these things to maintain the same balance between all these aspects. We have to do as much batting as we have to do fielding and then do as much fitness as well.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kiran has received considerable support from the fitness team of the franchise, with a special mention to strength and conditioning coach Tanuja Lele. \u201cShe stays in contact with us for the whole year. She works with us and sends us plans. She knows how much we are improving fitness wise.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWhenever we meet at the camp or in Pune, she calls us, and we do fitness sessions together. She puts in a lot of effort for our improvement. Plus, the fitness team also say you should eat as much as you work out. You should eat healthy food, and that is how you can stay away from injuries.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kiran has learnt a valuable lesson from Australians like Tahlia, Alyssa Healy, Grace Harris, and mentor Lisa Sthalekar\u2014the importance of having confidence in one\u2019s own abilities. \u201cThe learning from them has been to have faith in yourself, back your strength, identify your strengths in practice, play your game, enjoy the game, and don\u2019t worry too much.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThey believe if you have been practicing for so many years, then express yourself freely. Whatever you have done in practice and whatever you are doing now, enjoy the game; only then will it come out of you. Grace taught me how to play shots with time and to finish matches as per my strength, as well as how to hit shots clearly. It doesn\u2019t feel like she is putting in efforts to hit successfully.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kiran\u2019s performance in the last domestic season was underwhelming, as she only scored 88 runs in six matches for Maharashtra in the Senior Women\u2019s T20 Trophy. But experiences from this year\u2019s WPL and trip to Australia suggest Kiran could make a big impact in the upcoming domestic season and strengthen her case to be back in time for the next T20 World Cup.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThey believe if you have been practicing for so many years, then express yourself freely. Whatever you have done in practice and whatever you are doing now, enjoy the game; only then will it come out of you. Grace taught me how to play shots with time and to finish matches as per my strength, as well as how to hit shots clearly. It doesn\u2019t feel like she is putting in efforts to hit successfully.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Also Read: <\/b> Highest tax paying cricketers<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n