`She will play up to her reputation...`: Childhood coach Tambvekar on Mandhana

India women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana is known to be a big-game player and despite her lean patch — she hasn`t scored a half-century in the last 10 games (one Test, six T20Is, one tour match and two World Cup warm-up games) — her Sangli-based childhood coach Anant Tambvekar is confident that she will deliver the goods when it matters most.

Mandhana, who emerged the second top run-getter (434 runs) during India’s ODI World Cup triumph last November, has scored 13, 12 and 37 against South Africa in the three-T20I away series last April. Also, her scores in the recent three T20Is against hosts England were 0, 32 and eight. In the two T20 World Cup warm-up games versus West Indies and England the left-handed opening batter scored 39 and one respectively a few days ago. Coach Tambvekar though is unfazed. "I’m not worried about Smriti’s form. She will perform well in the T20 World Cup. She is a big-match player and she must be waiting to do that [perform]. India play Pakistan first-up and I’m confident that she will play up to her reputation and won`t be bogged down by the pressure of expectation," Tambvekar told Sunday mid-day recently.

Anant Tambvekar

“Smriti is always positive and I`ve never felt that she`s low in confidence. She has a very strong mindset. Yes, there may be some butterflies here and there, but that`s fine because all these Indian players have a lot of experience in international cricket. I`m sure Smriti too has saved some big knocks for this World Cup,” added Tambvekar.

Interestingly, ahead of the Indian women’s team`s camp at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru last May, Mandhana prepared for the tough English conditions at her hometown Sangli, revealed Tambvekar.

“We got around one-and-half week to practice in Sangli and keeping England`s weather in mind, she used to bat in the late evening in windy and cold conditions, where I bowled pace to her.
This is why I`m sure she won’t have any issues countering the swinging conditions in England,” said Tambvekar.

Mandhana, 29, has scored 4333 runs in 166 T20Is so far, including one century and 33 half-centuries. Against Pakistan in particular, she has scored 239 runs in 10 T20Is at an average of 26.55.

Her best performance against the arch-rivals came during the 2022 Commonwealth Games when she hammered a 42-ball 63 not out during India’s eight wicket win at Birmingham.

63*
Smriti Mandhana’s highest T20I score vs Pakistan

4333
No. of runs Smriti Mandhana has scored in 166 T20Is