Smriti Mandhana reminds me of Sourav Ganguly, says India women’s team coach

Mithali Raj has been one of the central figures in the Indian women’s cricket team for a decade or so and is likely to hang up her boots in the near future. Once she steps down, there will be a huge void left in the women’s team which will take a major talent to fill.

Luckily, WV Raman’s side is blessed with a young prodigy in the form of Mumbai-based cricketer Smriti Mandhana. The former India cricketer added that the elegant left-hander reminded him of one of India’s most successful cricketers - Sourav Ganguly.

“She reminds me of Sourav Ganguly,” Raman was quoted as saying by The Hindu.

Mandhana, who made her ODI debut in 2013, has racked up a total of 1,951 runs at an average of 42.41 and a strike-rate of 83.51 from 50 ODIs. With a strike rate close to 120 in T20Is, Mandhana is wanted by franchises in the domestic T20 leagues of Australia and England.

The 22-year old opener was the leading run-scorer and the ‘Player of the Tournament’ in the England and Wales Cricket Board’s Kia Super League last year. She will re-join Western Storm for the upcoming edition which is slated to start on August 6.

“Becoming the world’s best batter was something that I always wanted. When I was little, my mother always used to ask me to persevere in whatever I did, and not to stop in the middle but to go on until reaching the top.

“I have worked on my shot selection and I have decided that I need not look good always when I bat. Even struggling is okay, if you struggle your way to a good score,” Mandhana added.