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Heather Knight lauds Smriti Mandhana’s growth as a batter and leader, reflecting on her performances for India, Western Storm, Hobart and RCB.
Smriti Mandhana has been in stupendous form over the past 12 months (Picture credit: ICC)
Star England batter Heather Knight has said that her first have a look at a young Smriti Mandhana made her think highly of the teenager, adding that she admires how the Indian star has progressed in her profession as a cultured batter.
Mandhana was in good touch with the bat in the course of the three-match ODI series against Australia before the beginning of the continuing Women’s World Cup.
Notching two memorable tons of, Mandhana finished the richly contested bilateral series because the Player of the Series.
“I remember playing against Smriti in her first ODI series. Once I saw her playing, I believed, ‘Wow, this girl goes to be quite good.’ Since then, I even have admired how she has progressed as a batter and the way she has at all times carried herself with such calmness. That calmness is something I also value as a cricketer and I even have an enormous amount of respect for her,” Knight said while talking to JioStar.
Mandhana made her Test debut against England, through which she scored a half-century within the second innings.
“I even have seen her grow as a frontrunner as well. I played along with her in England for Western Storm, in Hobart and later at RCB under her captaincy in what was a extremely tough first WPL season for us,” Knight said.
“She (Smriti) found that 12 months difficult, but I gained a whole lot of respect for the way she got here back stronger the subsequent season and located her feet. Smriti is a correct rock star in India. Just being round her and seeing how many individuals recognise her is crazy, but she deals with all of it while staying humble,” Knight added.
Not having found her feet till recently within the Women’s World Cup, Mandhana played an 80-run knock against Australia on Sunday, October 12, but that didn’t help India’s cause.
October 17, 2025, 23:45 IST
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