Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur, 36, has struggled with inconsistent performances during the current ICC Women’s World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Given her age, this may be her last chance to play in a 50-over World Cup, but there is a silver lining: she hasn’t been entirely out of form. While Kaur has managed to start her innings, she has failed to convert these beginnings into significant scores.
Aakash Chopra, speaking on Star Sports, acknowledged the pressure Kaur faces as leader of the team. “There will be pressure. Firstly, you are the captain. This is your fifth World Cup, your first as captain, and it’s likely on her mind that it could be her last. It’s very unlikely she will be in the next ODI World Cup, so the pressure is there,” he said.
Chopra further elaborated that if other team members also fail to convert starts into substantial scores, it can weigh heavily on the captain. “Publicly, you say everything is okay, but inside, you know you need to contribute. If a team’s leader doesn’t perform well, the team becomes slightly weaker. So the captain has to score. She will definitely be feeling some pressure.”
In their recent match against Pakistan, India utilized only five bowling options. Chopra mentioned that if Kaur and fellow player Smriti Mandhana can return to form, it would allow for a sixth bowling option. “If we look at the bigger picture, Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur scoring runs would enable us to consider a sixth bowler. Currently, everyone has made runs, but no one has scored big,” he noted.
Chopra raised concerns about the potential for falling short in batting over 50 overs. “When runs are scored, especially by critical players, it boosts the confidence to include an additional bowler. If Kaur and Mandhana start performing well, that mindset could shift, and the dynamics of the game would change.”
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/aakash-chopra-harmanpreet-kaur-icc-cricket-world-cup-2025-10291547/
Category: Cricket,Sports
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Publish Date: 2025-10-06 21:09:00
