If Not For The Hundred, I Don't Think I Would've Been Selected For India: Jemimah Rodrigues

India women batter Jemimah Rodrigues credited the role of The Hundred competition for her return to the national side during the ongoing T20I series against Australia.

She played a brilliant knock of 49 unbeaten runs off 36 balls in the first T20I in Carrara, which got abandoned due to rain. She had been dropped from India’s ODI and Test eleven after low returns against South Africa at home and England in the away series earlier in the year.

But her return to the T20I eleven indicates a new wave in her career. This has come on the back of a splendid form during the Hundred in England.

Jemimah Rodrigues was the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament with 249 runs in 7 matches at 41 while striking at 150 for the Northern Superchargers.

“There’s so much to learn, but it wasn’t an easy time for me. There are lots of things going on sitting out, there were a lot of doubts in my head sitting out, but I’m grateful to be a part of this team. If not for the Hundred, I don’t think I would’ve even been selected to play for India,” Jemimah Rodrigues said after the first T20I.

She said she remained “frustrated” on being excluded from the eleven during the ODI series, which India lost.

“Honestly, any player would be frustrated not getting picked for ODIs especially when I knew I was batting well and in good form. But at the end, I’m ready for what the team wants, and if the team was finding the right balance, I’m happy sitting out,” she added.

Not very disappointed that the fifty didn’t happen: Jemimah Rodrigues

The 21-year-old further stated that she wasn’t much disappointed in missing her fifty by one run. She remains confident of scoring big runs in the coming games. Jemimah Rodrigues’ innings helped India from 37/2 to 131/4 before rain stopped play.

“I was happy to be back out there after so long, I waited a long time for this,” she said. “Sitting out and watching everyone play, sometimes you wonder ‘when will my time come’. Today when the chance came, I was just enjoying it. I’m not very disappointed that the fifty didn’t happen because I know there are loads of runs coming,” the youngster added.

The second T20I is slated for Saturday at the Carrara Oval.

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