Gill recalls Harmanpreet’s batting exploits, SKY, Samson, Hardik laud women’s stars ahead of World Cup

India’s leading men’s cricketers, including Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, and Hardik Pandya, recalled memories and praised Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Richa Ghosh while sending their best wishes to the women’s squad ahead of the World Cup.

Hyderabad: With the Women’s World Cup approaching, India Test captain Shubman Gill recalls his memories as a young boy of Harmanpreet Kaur’s exploits with the bat .

Sharing admiration and support for the women’s squad on JioHotstar’s special show ‘Champions Wali Baat: Believe in Blue’, Gill said when he was about 10 or 11 years old, she used to come to the academy where he practised outside and used to play matches with them.

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“I clearly remember her smashing our bowlers all over the park. As a kid, that was a rare sight for me. She batted very aggressively, which was quite different from that time,” Gill said.

“When anyone rises through the ranks, especially from our region in Punjab, and goes on to captain the country, it is a huge and very proud moment. To see Harmanpreet doing that with such immense pride and joy is truly exciting.,” Gill said.

India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav praised Jemimah Rodrigues and backed her to shine in the upcoming World Cup.

“It’s always good to see someone from your home city (Mumbai) who has played so many local games, represent the state, and then gone on to play for India. Not just in World Cups, but also in bilateral series. Jemimah has always been a great performer., Suryakumar said.

“Playing the World Cup is a huge opportunity, and I’m sure she will deliver because she’s a great teammate, always helping everyone around. As we all have seen, she brings amazing energy to the ground as well,” he said.

Suryakumar Yadav lauded Jemimah for her temperament in pressure situations.

“I think we also get to learn a lot from her. During big, pressure games, she has delivered, something we all want to adapt and replicate. For Jemi, the best thing about her is, ‘Chhota packet, bada dhamaka’. She just needs to continue doing what she’s been doing, and I really enjoy watching her play,” he said.

Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson praised Richa Ghosh for her composure and talent.

“We all love watching Richa Ghosh. The way she bats and keeps wickets, she always looks calm and confident. There is a lot to learn from her. Wearing the blue jersey in this country is never easy, and there’s been a lot of hard work behind the scenes,” Samson said.

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya sent his wishes to the women’s team ahead of the World Cup.

“I’m very excited and just want to wish the women’s team the best of luck. The whole of India is supporting you, and so are we. Go out there and enjoy the sport. Don’t worry too much, just be yourself. At the same time, remember that a billion people are backing you and sending their love,” Hardik said.