Jaipur: Playing a World Cup at home gives you the feeling of playing in a familiar fortress which is seemingly impregnable. However, it also comes with challenges. The roaring crowds give you a boost in tight situations, but they also put the players under pressure to perform. For the Indian women’s team, the upcoming ODI World Cup, commencing on Sept 30, embodies this double-edged sword, a dynamic that former coach WV Raman understands all too well. The subcontinental conditions undoubtedly offer an advantage, but Raman cautions against complacency as India eye their first ICC title. He warns that the notion the team can simply coast on home turf could be self-defeating. “Let’s not sit back and relax thinking that because the tournament is in India, because the conditions will be spin-friendly, India can just walk over all the other teams,” he cautioned. “No, it’s not going to happen. They got to really play at their best,” he added. Raman highlights that the global cricket landscape has evolved, with spin no longer being an art mastered solely by teams in the subcontinent. Modern powerhouses come equipped with their own threats. “Australia, England and New Zealand also have very good spinners, which means there will be a lot of challenges for India as well.”
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However, that does not mean that India cannot go all the way. Raman believes the team consistently stands on the cusp of greatness, making them a formidable contender. “Even in the recent past, if you have seen the T20s or 50 overs, everybody always had the impression that India was always just one match, or one big performance or one stroke of luck away away from becoming champions. That being the case, I think they will start as one of the strong contenders,” he added. However, the home advantage comes with its own set of psychological hurdles. “While it is always a fantastic thing to play a World Cup at home, it can be a double-edged sword for there could be added pressure to win every game,” Raman observed. He believes the ultimate factor will be composure. “It all depends on how the girls handle that.” This renders the upcoming ODI series against Australia, scheduled from Sept 14-20, more than just a bilateral contest; it serves as a vital dress rehearsal for managing high-pressure environments. Nevertheless, Raman advises treating it not as a final exam but as a chapter in a larger narrative. “They should just take the ODI series against Australia as another series,” he suggested, advocating for a process-oriented mindset. A positive result, however, would act as a powerful catalyst. “If they win, it can be a morale-booster because they would then feel if we can do it here, we can do it in a World Cup too.”
