INDIA batter Jemimah Rodrigues has decided to play in a hockey tournament after she failed to get selected in the Indian squad for the World Cup in New Zealand scheduled next month.
The 21-year-old, who made her international debut in 2018, is known to possess good dribbling skills in hockey and will represent Uncles Kitchen United Sports team at the Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana Rink Tournament in Mumbai, her home town.
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Former India goalkeeper Adrian D’Souza expressed his pleasure with Rodrigues’ hockey skills. He said it was good to see her playing the game despite having a busy international cricket schedule.
Rodrigues, who also bowls right-arm off-break, has played in 21 one-day internationals and 50 T20 internationals for India, scoring 394 and 1,055 runs, respectively.
She has had an interest in hockey since her childhood days. At the age of nine, Rodrigues had secured a place in the under-17 team of Maharashtra, her home state.
She also played hockey in Mumbai School Sports Association inter-school league where she represented St Joseph’s (Bandra).
The tournament she will play now kicked off on Friday (11) and will continue till February 16.
Former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes was also known for his hockey skills and had even made to his country's hockey squad to qualify for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. South Africa did not qualify though.
Ramesh Powar, the coach of the India women’s team, defended the omission of Rodrigues from the squad for the upcoming world cup saying, “If you don’t perform, you don’t get your chances.”
Besides Rodrigues, Shikha Pandey and Punam Raut have been dropped from the squad which is led by veteran batter Mithali Raj.
India will launch their campaign at the World Cup against arch-rivals Pakistan at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, on March 6.
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