In the run-up to the highly anticipated ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, which India and Sri Lanka will jointly host, Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues has shared a memorable and motivational encounter she had with cricket greats Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni that still inspires her.
During India’s tour of New Zealand, when the men’s and women’s teams were staying at the same hotel, Rodrigues and her teammate Smriti Mandhana approached Kohli for guidance on batting. He invited them to a café, where what began as a casual chat turned into a heartfelt, four-hour-long exchange.
“He actually told us that we have the power to change women’s cricket, and I can see that what change y’all can do is big and massive,” Rodrigues recalled. The affirmation made a lasting impression on her, as she and Mandhana continue to be the faces of Indian women’s cricket on the world stage.
Rodrigues described the interaction as feeling like a reunion with long-lost friends, with conversations stretching beyond cricket into life, ambitions, and shared experiences.
She also opened up about her admiration for Kohli’s style and mindset, saying, “I admire his game because I find a lot of similarities. I love his intent, the energy he brings, the dominating mindset, and at the same time, he is someone who runs well. It is a very hardworking innings and that is why I look up to him.”
Kohli’s relentless dedication and aura of humility, qualities admired by fans and peers alike, have served as a benchmark for Rodrigues as she prepares for the challenges of a World Cup at home.
The young batter also shared a lighthearted yet telling memory with another cricketing legend, MS Dhoni. At an event where both the men’s and women’s teams were present, Dhoni curiously asked the weight of her bat. “He asked me the weight of my bat. I said 1200 grams. He said you use a heavier bat than me. He is very down-to-earth and has an aura about himself,” Rodrigues said, reflecting on the simplicity and humility that defined the legendary captain.
As India gears up for the World Cup, Rodrigues, with over 1400 ODI runs to her name, will be one of the key players the team will rely upon. Buoyed by Kohli’s words — “You have the power to change women’s cricket… that change y’all can do is big and massive” — she enters the tournament with renewed conviction and responsibility.
Encounters with cricketing greats like Kohli and Dhoni not only strengthened Rodrigues’ belief in the growth of women’s cricket but also demonstrated the legacy of humility and mentorship that India’s cricketing icons have passed on. With the World Cup on the horizon, Rodrigues’ story is a powerful reminder of how inspiration and mentorship can shape the future of the game.
(Quotes sourced from Jemimah Rodrigues’ interaction with Mashable India)
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