Indian cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues said India Women’s success in the 2025 ODI Women’s World Cup has made the team even more hungry for success. India won the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, giving the players the experience of reaching the top in international cricket. With the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy coming up in 2027, Rodrigues said the team is now looking forward to another major opportunity. She also stressed that India’s focus will remain on playing together and doing everything possible to win as a team.
Speaking on Jio Star’s ‘Follow the Blues’, Rodrigues spoke about India’s recent World Cup success and how it has increased the team’s desire to achieve more. She said that once players experience success at the highest level, they want to feel that same success again. Rodrigues also described the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy as a very special event for women’s cricket. She will also be part of the tournament for the first time, making the occasion even more special for her.
“We’ve tasted success once, and we know what it feels like to be at the top. The more you taste it, the more you want to be there. So, I think our team is working towards that, and yes, the Champions Trophy is going to be very special. It’s happening for the first time ever in women’s cricket, and I’ll be a part of it for the first time as well, so it’ll be pretty special, and I’m really looking forward to it. I think mindset-wise, nothing changes. At the end of the day, it’s about the team and how to make the team win, and that always stays,” she said.
The ICC Women’s Champions Trophy is scheduled to be played in February 2027. The tournament will be the first edition of the competition in women’s cricket and will give teams another chance to compete for an ICC title. Rodrigues said the new tournament will be special, but the team’s basic mindset will stay the same. For India, the main priority will continue to be playing together, supporting each other and finding ways to win matches.
Before the Champions Trophy, India Women have a busy multi-format tour of South Africa lined up in December. The Women in Blue will play a total of seven fixtures during the tour. The schedule includes a one-off Test in Gqeberha from December 9, followed by a three-match ODI series beginning on December 16. India will then play three T20Is against South Africa from December 26. The tour will give the Indian team valuable match practice across all three formats before the Champions Trophy.
Rodrigues described India’s upcoming tour of South Africa as an exciting challenge. She pointed out that both teams have been doing well and have also played against each other regularly in recent times. India and South Africa have developed a strong rivalry, and Rodrigues believes that facing a top side across different formats will be a good test for the Indian team. She also said the players are looking forward to the series and the challenge that awaits them in South Africa.
“It’s going to be a really exciting series for sure. Both teams have been doing really well. We’ve had a lot of rivalry lately and played a lot of matches against South Africa. I think it’s going to be great, with two of the top teams in the world facing each other in South Africa. It’s going to be a great challenge, and we’re really looking forward to it.”
The South Africa tour will also give India the chance to prepare for the Champions Trophy in a competitive setting. The team will have to move between Test, ODI and T20I cricket during the seven fixtures. For Rodrigues and her teammates, the tour will be another chance to play together, work on their plans and build confidence before the major tournament. It will also give India another series against a side that has been one of its regular opponents in recent times.
Rodrigues was recently playing for Southern Brave in The Hundred 2026, but her campaign was cut short because of a hamstring injury. Despite leaving the competition early, she had already made an important contribution to the team. Rodrigues helped Southern Brave qualify for the playoffs and produced two Player of the Match performances during her time with the side. Her performances showed her importance to the team before the injury ended her campaign.
Rodrigues joined Southern Brave as a direct signing for £60,000, which was approximately US$80,000. She made an impact during her stint with the team and played an important role in their qualification for the playoffs. Her two Player of the Match awards were another highlight of her campaign. Although the hamstring injury meant she could not continue until the end, her contribution had already helped Southern Brave reach the next stage of the competition.
India’s World Cup victory in 2025 has now given the team another major target in the form of the first-ever Women’s Champions Trophy. Rodrigues’ comments show that the World Cup success has not made the players satisfied with what they have already achieved. Instead, it has increased their desire to win more. With the South Africa tour coming first and the Champions Trophy following in February 2027, India have plenty to look forward to. For Rodrigues, however, the message remains clear: the team must stay together, keep its focus and continue finding ways to win.
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