India opener Pratika Rawal is approaching the next phase of her career with clarity and quiet ambition, as she continues her comeback from injury while preparing for crucial international assignments, including a highly anticipated Test in England.
Speaking during a visit to her alma mater, Jesus and Mary College, Rawal opened up about how her academic background in psychology played a crucial role in helping her deal with the mental challenges of being sidelined after India’s 2025 ODI World Cup triumph.
“I’m totally over that. Good thing about psychology, it teaches you how to, you know, understand yourself, how to understand your emotions, how to understand your behavior. And it has helped me entirely, you know. When I was in that injury phase, the first thing was to accept the fact that I’m injured right now.
“What are the things which are in my control? So, it has helped me a lot and it still helps me when I’m playing that game, you know, when I’m dealing with that mental pressure. So, psychology in total, I mean, this is a part of my life, not just about cricket but in daily life as well.”
Now fully fit, the 25-year-old has shifted her focus firmly to red-ball cricket, a format she holds in particularly high regard. With India set to play a Test at the iconic Lord’s, Rawal spoke about the significance of the venue and the motivation it brings.
“When you do play, all the legends have scored their hundreds there; they have your names (on the honours board) when you score a hundred. I’m definitely really excited for that Test match, especially because I think it’s such a beautiful format and I crave that format a lot. I’m preparing well, putting in the hard work for that preparation.”
Her excitement reflects both respect for the history of the game and a strong desire to make her mark on one of cricket’s grandest stages. Rawal has already had exposure to English conditions, something she believes will aid her preparation. “So luckily, I played a series last year in England, so I have a fair idea about how the pitches work and how the bowlers are. So yes, thinking of that in mind, you know, keeping that in mind, I’m preparing on those lines as well.”
While her ambitions are clear, Rawal continues to emphasise a grounded, process-driven approach. Rather than getting carried away by future milestones she prefers to focus on incremental progress, a philosophy that has shaped her journey so far. “For me, I think my USP is taking one thing at a time. I don’t think too much about the future, and this is what you know, which helps me to keep you know, myself calm. So, it’s just one day at a time, one ball at a time. So that’s me.”
That mindset also extends to India’s broader goals in white-ball cricket. Even as she awaits her T20I debut for India, Rawal highlighted the team’s ambition to build on their ODI success and replicate it in the shortest format. As she balances recovery, preparation, and ambition, Pratika Rawal’s journey reflects a blend of discipline and self-awareness. With a historic Test at Lord’s on the horizon and bigger goals ahead, she appears ready to embrace the opportunities — one step, and one ball, at a time.
(Quotes sourced from PTI)
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