Former India captain Diana Edulji is “very disappointed” with women’s team middle-order batter Harmanpreet Kaur after her prolonged dip in returns at the highest level. Edulji said Harmanpreet can’t survive too long on her memorable 2017 World Cup semi-final knock against Australia.
Since her epic knock of 171 not out to help India make the World Cup final in England, the experienced cricketer has only managed 627 runs over 33 ODIs for the national side, averaging a measly 27.26 with just three scores of 50 or above.
Edulji said if the yardstick applied in dropping promising youngster Jemimah Rodrigues was used for Harmanpreet too, she wouldn’t have made the critical trip to New Zealand.
“If you are going with the same yardstick which was used to drop Jemimah Rodrigues, what the coach (Ramesh Powar) had mentioned, the same yardstick should be applied to Harmanpreet,”
she was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo, as Harmanpreet’s struggles continue through the ODI series against the Black Ferns.
“I am very disappointed with her. She was my favourite player but you can’t survive on that one innings. She is only one innings away from a big knock but the effort has to be there. I will be the happiest if she proves me wrong. I just want the team to win the [ODI] World Cup [starting in New Zealand next month]”
she added.
Rodrigues was dropped from the side after the selectors ran out of patience with her in the 50-overs cricket. The young gun only averages 19.70 in her 21 ODIs since making her debut in 2018. But the decision-makers didn’t apply the same logic on Harmanpreet, as Edulji questioned, despite her not performing for a long time in ODIs.
Harmanpreet batted at her best in the 2021-22 Women’s Big Bash League for Melbourne Renegades, scoring 406 runs from her 12 innings. She also chipped in with useful overs for the franchise and ended up taking 15 wickets.
But the period of a slump at the top-level game doesn’t seem to end for now. She has made scores of only 10, 10 and 13 in the three ODIs against NZ so far. Her form is a major worry for the Indian side ahead of the forthcoming ODI World Cup.
