New Delhi: After close to a year on the sidelines, Radha Yadav admitted there were nerves when she finally returned to the field in the shortest format but said the anxiety lasted only three deliveries before instinct took over. The Indian spin-bowling all-rounder was the pick of the bowlers against Bangladesh with 3/28.
“I was a bit nervous, can’t deny it. The first three balls I was nervous, after that I was okay, I was in the groove,” Yadav told reporters after the five-wicket win on Thursday.
The left-arm spinner, however, insisted that selection is not something she dwells on. Instead, her focus remains on improving every day, regardless of whether she makes the playing XI.
“I just have to do my work, whether I’m playing or not playing. I can’t take care of that and it’s not in my hands. I just have to go out there and do my basics each and every day and be ready.”
Yadav praised fellow spinner Sree Charani – the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 12 wickets so far, an average of 7.08, and an economy rate of 5.31.
“She is my favorite bowler, genuinely. I’ve learned so much from her. I watch her in the net sessions, in the spot bowling sessions; she is someone who is doing it so quietly and nailing it in each and every session,” said Radha. “So I think it’s her hard work, but she is very shy. I’ve learned so much from her — you just have to keep doing the same things, keep those basics ticking, keep it simple and just enjoy. She doesn’t care about anything.”
{{/usCountry}}“She is my favorite bowler, genuinely. I’ve learned so much from her. I watch her in the net sessions, in the spot bowling sessions; she is someone who is doing it so quietly and nailing it in each and every session,” said Radha. “So I think it’s her hard work, but she is very shy. I’ve learned so much from her — you just have to keep doing the same things, keep those basics ticking, keep it simple and just enjoy. She doesn’t care about anything.”
{{/usCountry}}With India under pressure to seal a spot in the semi-finals after losing the South Africa fixture, Radha rejected any suggestion that the squad’s commitment dipped at any point.
“I can talk only about the effort… the performance and results, no one can decide. I’ll give everyone 200% credit because no one is sitting around. Everyone is practising ruthlessly and knows how important it is to stick together and ease each other’s pressure,” she added.
India face Australia in a must-win game on Sunday. However, their qualification will also depend on the result of the South Africa versus Bangladesh fixture.