Pratika Rawal on mindset, bond with Smriti Mandhana, and balancing cricket with academics

India opener Pratika Rawal says visualization drives her mindset, while team goals matter more than personal milestones. She spoke about her natural partnership with Smriti Mandhana, childhood leadership traits, subtle family reactions to her World Cup selection, and balancing academics with cricket.

Hyderabad: India opener Pratika Rawal says that she does have a mindset, has visualized it a lot, and visualization is something that comes from psychology.

In a chat ‘Off The Pitch’ on JioHotstar, Pratika Rawal said she did think deeply about herself, about how she needed to progress.

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“Of course, there are team meetings and different strategies, but beyond personal goals, I value team goals more. If I can be an asset to the team, I believe that’s the greatest contribution I can make,” she said.

“I think it’s quite easy and quite natural. We don’t have to talk much between innings, she does what she does best, and I do what I do best. There’s an understanding between us that feels natural, not made up,” Pratika said on partnering the explosive Smriti Mandhana.

“Even off the field, she is an introvert and so am I, though we’d call ourselves more ambiverts. Because of that, we don’t need to put in extra effort to connect, we already understand each other. On the field, the only focus is the next ball, and everything else follows step by step,” she explained.

“I enjoy batting with her more than she enjoys batting with me, so it’s always great, especially the way she plays and takes on every ball. It’s just so amazing to see,” she said.

On responsibility and leadership, Pratika said as a kid she always loved taking up responsibilities and enjoyed being a leader in school.

“ I always wanted to be the class monitor. Even though I wasn’t a front bencher,I used to sit at the back and I consistently topped the exams. My teachers were very supportive and never put pressure on me, which allowed me to grow in my own way,” she said.

“From the beginning, I enjoyed leadership roles and taking responsibility. Even now, I see this responsibility as a privilege. It motivates me to become the best version of myself. As a young cricketer, who has just started playing for India, it feels special that the whole country has faith in me to deliver at this stage,” Pratika said.

On her World Cup selection and family’s reaction, the India opener said her mom and dad are not very expressive. “They don’t show emotions openly, but I know they feel a lot. When my name was announced at the press conference, I was at home with my brother while my parents were out. I went to my brother’s room and told him, ‘Say congratulations to me.’ He asked why, and I said, ‘I got selected for the World Cup.’ His reaction was just, ‘That’s it? Good for you, yaar,’’ she recalled.

“ Later, I called my mom and told her, and she simply said, ‘It’s a very good thing, very good.’ They play it subtle, but I can feel their pride. Even my coach told me that my mom has had a different smile on her face for days. They may not show it directly, but I know they are very happy,” Pratika said.

On academics and family expectations, Pratika said she came from a family where everyone is either an engineer, a businessman, or a lawyer. “Most of my cousins are lawyers, and my brother is pursuing engineering. So, there was always pressure from my family to focus on studies, no matter what. I remember in the 12th standard, my mom told me I had to score at least 90%, otherwise I would have to leave cricket,” she said.

“Even my grandparents felt it was a matter of pride that I do well in studies because it runs in the family. In that way, I was groomed to take academics seriously. I won’t say it was forced, I actually enjoyed it too,” Pratika said.