Improved fitness will not only help power-hitting, but fielding too, says Smriti Mandhana

Improved fitness will not only help power-hitting, but fielding too, says Smriti Mandhana

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Smriti Mandhana believes that improved fitness training will help the Indian women’s team become a potent T20 side as it would improve their power-hitting and fielding abilities. After a fruitful camp at the NCA, the no.1 ODI batswoman Mandhana says she is still a work in progress.

Finally, after nearly two years of continuous cricket all over the world, the Indian women’s team had a month off. But, instead of putting their feet up, the women headed to a fitness camp at the NCA in Bangalore. Mandhana believes the team need to focus much more on their fitness ahead of the T20 World Cup next year. 

"Fitness was a major point of discussion after the season ended. Raman sir and we collectively discussed that fitness needs to be better to be a potent T20 side. It was much needed because we are going to have a hectic eight months, so we have to get our body prepared for the grind. That thing is being worked out and girls are looking in better shape. Our batting depth has to improve and Raman sir has been speaking to all the batters on the aspect of power hitting. Improved fitness will not only help our power-hitting but will also help our fielding,” Mandhana told PTI.

2018 was a phenomenal year for Mandhana. She ended with a total of 669 runs from just 10 innings, and was duly rewarded for her efforts with the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year award. Despite being ranked the no.1 ICC ODI batswoman, the 22-year old is hungry for improvements in her game. 

"I and coach Raman sir have been discussing quite a bit about my game. How I can become more consistent in T20 cricket, how I can add more power to my game. I still feel I need to improve on that front. You have to improve because other teams are also keeping an eye on you. Adding new shots is not something which I am looking for, I am looking to consistently hit the same length of balls in different places,” Mandhana said.

Mandhana, who added the Arjuna Award to her collection in addition to the CEAT award in May, credited the batting coach, Raman, for giving all the batswomen the license to express themselves in the middle.

"It is more mental than anything else. That is what Raman sir has been stressing on. He has given the freedom to the batters to express themselves in the middle rather than holding back," she added.

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