Nothing can beat people cheering India at the stadiums: Smriti Mandhana

With the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 commencing in five days, Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. will begin their quest for a maiden title against Sri Lanka on September 30 in Guwahati.

As the excitement builds up, Team India players reflected on the pride of wearing the blue jersey. From childhood dreams to unforgettable milestones, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, and all-rounder Deepti Sharma spoke about what representing the country means to them and how the jersey continues to inspire belief, resilience, and national pride.

India Captain Harmanpreet Kaur reflected on her childhood dream, stating how challenging it was for her to pursue a career in sports being a woman.

“As a girl, it was very hard for me to dream about playing for the country. I always wanted to open with Virender Sehwag not knowing that you can’t play in a men’s team,” she told JioStar.

India Vice-Captain Smriti Mandhana recalled receiving her first Indian jersey, and went onto highlight how emotional a moment it was for her and her family. She also spoke about the challenges she faced early in her career as she hails from Sangli, a small city in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

“I remember I was 17 when I got the India jersey in my room. I don’t think I can forget it. I wore it and sent the photos to my parents and my brother. They were very emotional. Challenges are a part of who you are. The biggest challenge for me was, I was in Sangli, and not many girls used to play cricket then. A lot of times, for camps, I had to travel from Sangli to Pune, and spend 4-5 months away from home. As a 14-year-old to do that, and miss out on school, it was very challenging. 

"I think the Commonwealth semi-final against Australia was when I felt extremely proud about wearing this jersey. I think our belief has changed a lot and it only changes with what work you put behind it. When the effort is there, the fight will always be there. That’s one thing that has majorly changed with this team: everyone believes they are match-winners," she added.

The Indian vice-captain also emphasised the mindset shift in the team, as Harmanpreet and Co. have taken giant strides in the international arena in the last few years.

"The last T20 World Cup was something which hit me quite a lot. I thought to myself, ‘I don’t want to feel like this as an athlete in my life’. Post that, a lot of fitness and nutritional changes have come into place. We all have been waiting for this World Cup.

"A lot of things have changed for women’s cricket in India since 2013 when I was a kid. I am really excited to see how the stadiums turn out and the way they will support. The Women’s Premier League (WPL) has made us immune to the loud crowd as well. Nothing can beat people cheering India at the stadiums," she concluded.

India all-rounder Deepti Sharma also spoke about how special it is to wear the blue jersey:

“Whenever I wear this blue jersey, I try to make every moment count in it. There are goose bumps when we line up for the national anthem. Our mindset has changed now a bit, regardless of the team we are facing and the format. We focus on what we can pull off and always talk about positive things and apply the same on the ground. We talk to Amol [Muzumdar] sir in our practice sessions and the main thing is to try and come out of our comfort zone to plan for different situations. When I made 188 against Ireland in South Africa, that was the highest score for India. I scored those runs as an opener and I am really proud about that moment in an India jersey,” said Deepti.