I have learnt a lot from Jhulan Goswami, says Shikha Pandey
Indian medium pacer Shikha Pandey on Monday (25th February) credited W V Raman, Head coach of Indian Women’s Cricket Team, for her improved bowling after registering career-best figures in the second One Day International of the ICC Women’s Championship against England in Mumbai.
After being snubbed from last year’s World T20 squad, Shikha made a comeback to the national side with a bang, finishing with career-best figures of 4 for 18 to help India to beat world champions England comprehensively by seven wickets in the series-clinching second ODI of the three-match series at home.
While revealing that Raman has made minor technical changes in his bowling, Pandey said that she has learned a lot from her senior bowler Jhulan Goswami.
Speaking to media after match, Pandey said, “There were a few technical issues, which were brought into my notice by Raman Sir. I was very surprised that I did not realize those (issues). He has been that assuring face in the dressing room.”
She continued, “He is someone who you can speak about bowling and he is always there with an opinion about it. I would say, he caught the flaw during the Challengers (he had come down to see the Challengers). Those minute things actually helped a lot.”
Meanwhile, Pandey enjoyed bowling with senior pacer Goswami (4/30) to wreak havoc with the new ball to bowl out England women for 161 -which India chased down inside 42 over with the loss of just three wickets.
The 29-year-old all-rounder added, “I am always happy if medium pacers take wickets. Today we (me and Goswami) picked up eight. I would commend ourselves for taking eight wickets, especially on Indian wickets which are not very pacer friendly. We are working very hard on it and I am happy that results are coming and I hope it continues.”
While praising Goswami, she said, “I have learnt a lot from her (Jhulan Goswami), her work ethics, for example. She is 35-36 and for her to continue her international career and bowl so well…as a youngster when I came into the side, I could learn from her. I could learn from the way she fights back in her second spell. There are a lot of things, the list is really long. For me, it has been her work ethics. She is such a team player and is always ready for the team. If I could emulate 10 percent of that, I would be doing a great job.”
On being whether the World T20 drop fuelled her, the pacer said, “I know from where this is coming. Normally, I do not celebrate my wickets as much. It’s just that getting dropped from the World T20 side was something which was not in my hands.”
Pandey signed off by saying, “I seem to be bowling well in the nets and I am just taking that confidence into matches. I wouldn’t say that getting dropped from the T20 side has sparked something in me, that was never the case.”
(With PTI Inputs)