Her hockey roots giving her flexibility, Jemimah was the lone girl in MIG’s boys nets and faced the same bowlers as Prithvi Shaw and Arjun Tendulkar...NAVI MUMBAI: The hero of India’s sensational win over Australia,
Jemimah Rodrigues is the latest gem to emerge from Mumbai cricket. Sometime in 2007-08, a nine-year-old Bandra girl — a devout Christian who loved the guitar — walked into the MIG Cricket Club with her father Ivan Rodrigues, a mechanical engineer cum cricket coach.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Recalling that day, Jemimah’s childhood coach Prashant Shetty told TOI, “Her elder brother Ellie was already at our academy, and her parents asked if I could see their daughter too. I wondered how a nine-year-old girl would face our bowlers, but the very first ball she played — a perfect cover drive — stunned us. I immediately knew she had real talent.”
Seventeen years later, Shetty watched proudly from the stands as Jemimah crafted a magnificent 127 not out off 134 balls. “The beauty of that knock was that she batted for 48 overs after fielding for almost 50. She was on the ground for nearly 100 overs — a huge test of fitness and focus. She didn’t celebrate her fifty or hundred, she just wanted India to reach the final,” Shetty said.
When Jemimah joined MIG, there was no girls’ academy. “I convinced the officials to make an exception. Allowing her to train with the boys would help her, even if it didn’t help the club directly,” Shetty recalled.
As the first girl to train there, Jemimah practiced alongside Prithvi Shaw, Arjun Tendulkar and other future Mumbai players. “Many times she and Prithvi batted in adjacent nets. She faced our bowlers comfortably — that’s when I knew she was special,” Shetty said.
Her parents’ support and faith, he added, have shaped her personality. “They’re spiritual and grounded people. Jemimah remains humble, with no airs about being an India cricketer. When she visits my academy now, she mingles with youngsters and always thanks the bowlers, coaches and even the maalis (groundsmen),” he said.
During school, Jemimah also played sub-junior hockey for Maharashtra — a background Shetty believes gives her a technical edge. “Her scoops and lap shots come from hockey. She’s super fit and flexible, which lets her get low and play those strokes easily,” he said.
After her semifinal hundred, Jemimah revealed she had battled severe anxiety in the past month. Her coach said the pressure of expectation had weighed heavily. “She desperately wanted India to win the World Cup. She couldn’t sleep for nights, and when she was dropped against England, it hit her hard,” Shetty said. He worked to rebuild her confidence. “I told her, ‘Keep your emotions aside and stay ready. You could still play again.’ Before she returned against New Zealand, I gave her a simple plan — play the first 8–10 balls solidly, even for a few runs, but stay compact. Don’t let your body language show doubt,” he said.
Jemimah followed the plan, hitting an unbeaten 76 off 55 balls to lead India past New Zealand. “She told me she stuck to that gameplan — starting with singles and avoiding risks. Giving her clarity helped her block out negative thoughts,” Shetty said.
Inconsistent early in her career and once criticised for her social media presence, Jemimah faced a setback when she was left out of the 2022 Women’s ODI World Cup. “That was her wake-up call — like Rohit Sharma missing the 2011 World Cup. She took it positively, worked hard, and earned her way back,” Shetty said.
Her match-winning century against Australia has now strengthened her claim to the No. 3 slot in India’s lineup. “She’s proved she can bat in the second over or the 33rd. It’s time she gets a fixed position instead of being shuffled,” her coach said.
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