Sydney: Star batswoman Smriti Mandhana believes the young players — which are part of the India squad — have brought in a whole, new energy within the group and that in turn will benefit the team in the T20 World Cup.
The average age of Indian team, taking part in the World Cup, is just 23 and features four teenagers.
“You can think of the vibe if you see the age of our team! With that kind of age group, there has to be fun and if there’s no fun there’s something wrong with the girls” 23-year-old Mandhana was quoted as saying by the ICC.
“It’s been like that for the last one or two years. I won’t say it wasn’t like that in the years before, but since the teenagers have come, there is a different energy.
“Young players come into it with fresh thinking, they don’t have anything behind them. They know nothing. They’re very different people to we were when we came into the side at 17.
“They are very fearless, they don’t have a lot of pressure on them. They think like it’s any other match and coming into a World Cup, that’s the best thing about them.”
Rodrigues, 19, composed a rap to mark Harmanpreet’s 100th T20I in September last year alongside Harleen Deol.
With 16-year-old prodigy Richa Ghosh fast-tracked into the squad without a T20I appearance and Shafali Verma, also 16, getting to meet her idol Sachin Tendulkar in Australia, dreams are coming true every day in the India camp.
India will start their campaign against defending champions Australia in the tournament opener at the Sydney Showground Stadium on Friday.
