Harmanpreet Kaur reflects on cricket's impact on her life

Indian women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur recently shared insights into her cricketing journey and the deep significance of the sport in her life. 

In an exclusive interview with a sports channel, Kaur reflected on her dedication to cricket, her growth as a player, and the evolving landscape of Indian women's cricket.

For Kaur, cricket is more than just a game; it is her lifeline. She expressed her emotional connection to the sport, recalling the moment she first wore the Indian jersey and the dilemma of deciding whether to share the moment first with her parents or her coach.

"Cricket, I think, is everything to me. Without cricket, I don't think I would be anything. The name that cricket has given me, no other field could have given it to me. So I think, for me, cricket is like a god. Whatever I dreamt of in my childhood, whatever I dreamt of while playing, everything has been given to me by cricket," Kaur said.

"I can say off-field, when I held the Indian jersey for the first time, I took a photo after wearing it for the first time, and I was just thinking about who deserves this photo first. Should I send it to my parents, or the coach who gave me this platform, who gave me admission to his school, and said, 'I will start cricket in school for you,' should I send it to him? So I was so confused, who should I send first, because both were equally important to me," she further added.

She also highlighted a significant shift in the team's approach.

"Before, it felt like we were playing a little scared cricket. When things didn't go according to our plan, we used to get scared very quickly, but now we play a little brave cricket, so we make brave decisions. With time, we have forced people to come to the stadium through our performance," Kaur explained.

The success of the Indian women's cricket team under Kaur's captaincy is not just about winning matches but also about changing perceptions and inspiring the next generation of cricketers.

"In the last 7-8 years, our team's performance has been very good. Even before that, we used to play cricket, but we weren't able to win so many tournaments, and we weren't able to play such impressive cricket. So we always discuss that if there are two options, we will always choose the aggressive option," she concluded.