WPL: 'There’s So Much To Learn From Meg Lanning', Says DC’s Jemimah Rodrigues

WPL: 'There’s so much to learn from Meg Lanning', says DC’s Jemimah Rodrigues (Image Source: IANS)

Arun Jaitley Stadium: Jemimah Rodrigues, the vice-captain of Delhi Capitals, said there is always a lot to learn from skipper Meg Lanning and is thankful to the Women’s Premier League (WPL) for giving her the chance to work alongside the former Australia captain.

"It feels great. There's so much to learn from her. She's someone who doesn’t demand respect, she just walks in and everyone automatically has respect for her. She’s done so much, that’s why we have that much respect for her. There’s so much to learn. Working with her up close and personal, I never thought I’d get that opportunity. Thanks to the WPL I’m getting it.

"Being the vice-captain, I’m involved in many decisions, seeing how she works. Recently, I spoke to her about captaincy and how she dealt with it because she was made captain at a young age. ‘Captaincy is so much more than on the field’, she said. Off the field, there are so many things you have to handle. Then off the field, your own batting and how you go about it. It was a good conversation and I’m sure I’ll get so much more to learn from her," said Jemimah to broadcasters JioCinema.

Asked if she got overwhelmed by leadership duties, Jemimah said: "Till now I’ve not been put in a position where Meg had to go off the field and I had to take the initiative. I am not sure about that. Knowing my team, they’ll make it easier for me.

"Growing up, I’ve always been in the Mumbai team and leading at a very young age, dealing with seniors. This is very different to that but sort of similar and that experience will come off here. I did speak to Meg about it and I’ll use all the advice."

Jemimah also spoke about the hard time post the Capitals losing 2023 WPL final to Mumbai Indians. "It was hard. We were doing well throughout the tournament and we had some amazing games. The one we really wanted to win the most, that didn't go in our favour but that’s sport. That’s why we love playing.

"You win some, you lose some. It teaches you a lot, to get back up and gives you another chance always. This is our other chance. Hopefully this year on our home ground, we lift the WPL trophy."

Asked about her preparation for WPL 2024, where Delhi face off against Mumbai in the opening match at Bengaluru on Friday, Jemimah remarked, "I feel great. I’m someone who believes a lot in working hard and following the process and my preparations. I hit a lot of balls, I pity the ones who do the sidearm throw-ins for me. I tell them ‘bhaiya I'll pay for your massage, but please keep throwing’. Even in the Indian team, I'm the first one in, last one out..

"I’m not that person who keeps grudges. I’m very competitive but I won’t go on the ego side that ‘you took my wicket, now I’ll hit you’. I just watch the ball and play it. On a given day, the best of the best bowlers can bowl a loose ball and I’ll hit it away.

"Sometimes there’s a bowler who I can usually hit but she’s bowling well, then I’ll play her sensibly. I want to win matches for my team and I have that competitiveness, but I’ll play according to merit and the situation.

"I love being a part of the DC family. More than a team, it’s a family. This feels like home to me. Since last year’s WPL, there’s been a lot of improvement in domestic cricket. I feel it because we have played in the domestic season. There's scope for more but it’s a good sign for women’s cricket all over India."

Asked about the new additions to DC squad, Jemimah was ravishing in her views on Annabel Sutherland and Ashwani Kumari. "We have got Annabel Sutherland. She recently scored a double century and had an amazing time with the ball too. I played with her in the WBBL, and she’s a great person, a very good fielder.

"As a captain, that’s one person you’d want to have on your team because she covers all aspects. We have Ashwani (Kumari), another young talent coming in and filling in the finisher’s role we’re looking for. She’s someone who wants to learn and get better. That’s her biggest quality."

Jemimah signed off by hoping for crowd support when Delhi comes to the Arun Jaitley Stadium to play second half of WPL 2024. "I am very excited. There’s nothing like playing in front of your home crowd.

"Me being a Mumbaikar wearing a Delhi jersey in Mumbai, everyone was supporting the Mumbai Indians except my family, like 10 of them. It’ll be nice to have an entire ground cheering for Delhi. I think it was fine. Whenever I went to the boundary line, they were cheering for me."