ODI Women's World Cup 2025 | 'We are becoming chokers...': Diana Edulji on India

Former India captain Diana Edulji is extremely upset and disappointed with Team Indiarsquos performance so far at the Womenrsquos World Cup India won their first two matches vs Sr Lanka and Pakistan but thereafter suffered three backtoback defeats against South Africa Australia and EnglandIn an interview withmidday Edulji who led the country in two ODI World Cups in 1978 and 1993 questioned the teamrsquos unsettled combination She also befelt itrsquos high time skipper Harmanpreet Kaur who has scored 141 runs in five games so far leads from the front with big runs like Australia captain Alyssa Healy scored 294 runs in four innings New Zealand captain Sophie Devine 260 runs in three innings and South Africarsquos Laura Wolvaardt 201 in six inningsDiana EduljiEdited excerptsOn Indiarsquos performance so farIrsquom surprised and upset We were the favourites on home conditions and should have capitalised on this but wersquove lost three games from a winning position which is not good We still havenrsquot settled down The playing XI is not settled bowling attack is not settled batting order is not settled And now itrsquos a do or die situation The pressure will mount again Previously we used to call South Africa chokers but now it feels like we are becoming chokers Wersquore just not able to cross the line In the last game vs England there was a good partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Harman Kaur and they should have seen the game through They shouldnrsquot have depended on the lower order Also the fitness levels are still not up to the mark which is why singles are not being taken Then they want to go for the big shots and are holed out at the boundary Yes there have been a few good performances here and there but thatrsquos not leading us to victory What we need is a performance that takes us over the lineOn inform opener Smriti MandhanaIndia skipper Harmanpreet KaurI was talking to a few people who felt that Smriti was tired during that innings vs England If she was cramping she couldrsquove taken a little break slowed down the game and hydrated The physio couldrsquove given her a rub down Because the shot she played and got out had there been footwork and energy she would have cleared the boundary But just standing and playing that shot means there was some weakness in the bodyOn Harmanpreet Kaurrsquos batting and leadershipSmriti Mandhana trains at the DY Patil Stadium PicsAtul KambleBoth Mandhana and Harman were playing beautifully earlier but now if you watch Harmanrsquos game itrsquos not the same Shersquos getting most of her runs in the point and backward region She was a very good striker and has scored a lot of runs in front of the wicket Where has that game gone She Harmanpreet is not a new captain She has been leading the team for a long long time so you have to take that responsibility in your stride If you canrsquot then move away You have to take that call You canrsquot have it both ways All the other captains are leading from the front Australiarsquos Healy New Zealandrsquos Devine and South Africarsquos Wolvaardt Their teamrsquos morale also then gets a boostOn Jemimah Rodriguesrsquos place in the teamJemimah RodriguesThe combination has to be balanced properly We are still struggling with Jemimah 65 runs in four innings and Harleen Deol 169 runs in five innings Itrsquos not going to benefit the team if theyrsquore not sure of performing They have to put their hands up Jemimah is getting out to the same shot the sweep She must remove the sweep shot from her armoury She is a good player and has some good cover drives and ondrives so why go for that sweep shot which is causing your downfallIt needs to be instilled in their heads that till they cross 50 theyrsquore not going to play a certain shot There should be some discipline in batting especially in the beginning when yoursquore just getting your footwork readyOn the bowling attackKranti GaudAll the bowlers have to step up You canrsquot just depend on one bowler to take wickets Leftarm spinner Shree Charani is lucky shersquos getting wickets but shersquos on the costlier side Offspinner Sneha Rana is a good thinking bowler and a good batter We need good pacers Unfortunately Kranti Gaud has been on a downward slide from when she started and I donrsquot think Renuka Thakur is fit enough We played three pacers and they didnrsquot complete their 10 overs You could have played leftarm spinner Radha Yadav who is also a good hitter towards the end That would have given you more chances of getting a wicket and shersquos an excellent fielder too All these things have to be taken into considerationOn Indiarsquos chances of making the semisWe are lucky that some games are getting washed out Colombo has seen some washouts which has given us a chance else we wouldrsquove been out by now But itrsquoll be tough in the next game against New Zealand on Thursday DY Patil Stadium is a belter of a wicket and with NZrsquos Devine and the other players theyrsquore not going to give up so easily From now we should look at one game at a time donrsquot think of the second game at all Put in all your effort Itrsquos a do or die now Itrsquos as good as a quarterfinal so play it like that Give your best and forget what has happened till now Just concentrate fully on whatrsquos in front of you