Featuring at ninth among the many top-10 run-getters within the Women’s Premier League this yr, Harleen Deol is certainly one of three Gujarat Giants gamers within the checklist, alongside the Australian duo of Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner. Their contributions have gone a good distance in direction of serving to GG enter the Eliminator for the primary time because the competitors started in 2023.
The 26-year-old’s ongoing marketing campaign is in stark distinction to final season, the place she suffered a untimely exit after an try to intercept the ball on the cowl boundary resulted in a knee injury and an extended layoff. Since getting back from injury, Harleen has received again into India’s ODI workforce, notably smashing her first worldwide ton towards West Indies in Vadodara in December.
In an interview with The Hindu forward of GG’s Eliminator towards Mumbai Indians on the Brabourne Stadium on Thursday, Harleen mirrored on her injury, her return to India’s 50-over set-up, her fielding skill and extra. Excerpts:
Gujarat Giants has by no means overwhelmed MI in six conferences. Where might the sport on Thursday be received or misplaced?
Whenever you play huge matches, it’s nearly dealing with the stress the correct approach. Whoever does that’s going to win. Mumbai have performed two back-to-back matches and have simply had a day’s break. They are coming off a loss (towards Royal Challengers Bengaluru). So, additionally they have a problem to overcome.
You have been batting nicely of late. Would you say that is one of the best you’ve got batted within the WPL?
I received’t say I’m batting at my greatest. I had a fairly good season within the first yr too. But while you miss out one season, you retain feeling you’ve got missed out on a possibility. But that’s ultimately how you be taught issues and that’s how you analyse. When you come again, you’ve got time to fill within the packing containers that had been missing. For me, it has been like that. If I can play nicely within the subsequent two matches, then I might say that is going to be my greatest (season).
What had been your targets coming into the season? Was your preparation any totally different earlier than this season?
I used to be doing rehab (laughs). No, I’m not somebody to give myself targets. In the preliminary stage, I used to be batting at No. 5. If I had informed myself I’ve to make these many runs, how might I’ve achieved it at that place? For me, it’s extra about how nicely you possibly can deal with the state of affairs whereas batting, whether or not it’s No. 6 or 3. Whatever the workforce calls for, I’ve to accordingly simply slot into that position. I’m not somebody to set targets. Even in case you set targets, God has their very own plans for you. I like to go like that.
How do you usually put together for a T20 match?
I used to be simply getting back from the ODI collection. When you’ve got scored runs in worldwide cricket, you might be extra assured of doing it over right here as nicely. This is a barely totally different format. You have to simply be proactive concerning the calls for of this format. The preparation is a bit totally different. I focus extra on power-hitting. Eventually additionally it is about enjoying good cricketing photographs. That additionally provides you these runs. So I don’t make issues too difficult.
You have batted at No. 5 and likewise at 3. What is the place you might be most snug at?
When you rating runs, you’re feeling snug in any respect positions. At No. 3, you get extra time to settle in after which do what the workforce wants. I like to bat that approach. But if I’ve to bat on the finish, I’m additionally ready for that. Before going right into a match, you simply have to put together for how your mindset ought to be for various positions. It is about how you’ve got ready.
When you might be at No. 3, you stated there is a little more time on supply. How a lot does the mindset change?
When we’re batting decrease down, you simply have to hit and bat at one gear. If you get out, you get out. At No. 3, you’ve got to have totally different gears. As a participant, it’s best to know which gear works for you. There are instances when you’ve got to go with the circulation. It’s all in accordance to the state of affairs.
How has it been to bat with Mooney and Gardner? Do you choose their brains about batting?
Obviously, they’ve such good worldwide expertise. They have carried out nicely in India. They have carried out nicely in all of the nations. When you might be batting with them, they’re the sort who will preserve discussing the issues that may be carried out. They don’t put stress on you. When I’m batting with Mooney, she received’t simply direct you to go after a sure bowler. So, she is going to preserve giving concepts about how the ball is behaving, the areas that we will look to hit. So they preserve discussing this stuff. It could be very useful for us that we will additionally have a look at the sport like that. So you begin issues a bit in a different way.
You made your comeback into India’s ODI aspect in December and scored your first century towards WI. How pleasing was that?
When you make a comeback, you’ve got to show your self. The individuals see you as an injured participant and preserve how you’ve got recovered. You have to be extra ready than how you used to be. For me, it has been like that. When you make a comeback, everyone ought to know that you’re again.
There wasn’t stress, however while you undergo a section of injury, you simply grow to be extra grateful about issues. When you don’t have one thing, you then realise how necessary that factor was for you. Even although I used to be solely enjoying home cricket initially after my comeback, I used to be simply so joyful to be on the sphere. I wasn’t as joyful whereas scoring a fifty or hundred. I used to be happier to know that I had simply began enjoying once more. You continue learning by that section.
India’s Harleen Deol celebrates her ODI century towards West Indies on the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.
| Photo Credit:
FILE PHOTO: VIJAY SONEJI
You haven’t performed a T20I for India since July 2023. Do you’re feeling you’ve got carried out sufficient to earn a comeback?
All this stuff usually are not in my management. If you get there, it’s good. If you don’t, you’ve got to preserve working tougher to get these issues. It’s so simple as that. You simply have to preserve following the method. You don’t have to preserve planning about what is going to occur. You have to simply react to how you might be doing.
You suffered a knee injury three video games into WPL 2024. How robust was that section?
I by no means had such an extended layoff beforehand. I additionally surprise now how I went by that section. I couldn’t stroll for weeks. It was robust, however I don’t really feel it was too laborious. You simply continue learning issues by these phases. It has taught me rather a lot and made me a greater individual. It helped me to deal with conditions. I received time to analyse. The rehab was a bit painful, but it surely taught me numerous issues. Whatever occurs, occurs for good. You get to know concerning the individuals who actually take care of you. There is extra maturity now about how to deal with setbacks.
There are six abroad batters within the prime 10 run-getters this season. From the Indian workforce’s perspective, ought to there be concern that extra younger home batters aren’t coming by?
If you see the IPL, it took so a few years for this stuff to are available. There are impactful gamers coming in. You have simply sown the seed, it takes time. Things are entering into a superb course, whether or not it’s batting or bowling. Look at Bharti Fulmali. There’s Kashvee Gautam. There’s Kranti Goud. We simply have to be a bit extra affected person and you will note issues turning round.
You are most likely top-of-the-line fielders going round. What went into you changing into good at it?
I used to be somebody who would simply preserve enjoying with the ball in my childhood. The hand-eye coordination turns into a factor. Mainly it’s simply observe. If you see the nice fielders, they’re so match. That is why they grow to be good fielders. For me, health is a factor that has helped me grow to be a superb fielder. After my injury, it was harder to be the place I used to be. When you’ve got set the usual in worldwide cricket, individuals don’t take into consideration the truth that there might be a bit hesitation about getting back from an injury. As I play extra matches, it would fade away and I’ll begin constructing extra confidence. I’m nonetheless getting there.
The general fielding requirements haven’t been that nice in WPL. How can that enhance going ahead?
It is simply part of the sport. Nobody desires to drop a catch. If you see children now, they’re attempting to be sure they’re good fielders. I’m seeing a change. They know that the demand of the Indian workforce and the WPL is to be good within the fielding division.
Any fielder that you just actually admire?
These days, I like Glenn Phillips’ catches. He is wonderful. Even Phoebe Litchfield. The approach she strikes round on the sphere is so good to see.
Published – March 13, 2025 12:14 am IST
