Victory Lap

In a year of big wins for Indian women's cricket, Smriti Mandhana, the inimitable breakout star of the game, discusses passion, purpose and pure play with AKANKSHA KAMATH.

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To watch Smriti Mandhana play is exactly what youd expect—the vice captain of the Indian Women's Cricket team is constant, calm and undeterred. As she scored her first century in the 2017 World Cup Final, a cheeky sidesmile appeared from under her helmet. She hugged her teammate and went back to base. No mighty show of strength, no vigorous fist pumps—just an incredible game of body, mind, and bat.

“She practises as per the conditions ahead of a tour,” explains her coach of 13 years, Anant Tambvekar. If she is going to Australia, she practises with wet tennis balls. If she’s going to be in England, she practises early in the morning when it is cold, windy and wet. That’s the reason behind her run-making spree... That’s why she is in the Top 10 of the world rankings,” he says, citing natural talent as the foundation of her innings in cricket thus far. The part where she bands together 11 girls on the pitch, each in a tempered dance of synchronised play, her own emotions even-keeled and stoic—that part, is all her.