"Clearly remember her smashing our bowlers" - Star India batter recalls early memories of Harmanpreet Kaur ahead of Women's ODI World Cup 2025

Indian Test captain Shubman Gill has heaped praise on women's team captain Harmanpreet Kaur for her aggressive batting style. The 26-year-old said that the right-handed batter practiced outside his academy in Punjab and hit the bowlers to all parts of the ground. Gill also complimented Kaur's rise from a small town in Punjab to becoming India's captain.

The 36-year-old will lead India in her first ODI World Cup, when the tournament begins in Guwahati on Tuesday, September 30. Gill told JioHotstar (via IANS):

“When I was about 10 or 11 years old, she used to come to the academy where I practiced outside and used to play matches with us. I clearly remember her smashing our bowlers all over the park. As a kid, that was a rare sight for me. She batted very aggressively, which was quite different from that time".

"When anyone rises through the ranks, especially from our region in Punjab, and goes on to captain the country, it is a huge and very proud moment. To see Harmanpreet doing that with such immense pride and joy is truly exciting."

Kaur has played at every ODI World Cup since 2009. She was part of the Indian side which finished runners-up in the 2017 edition, where the Women in Blue lost to England in the final at Lord's.

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Suryakumar Yadav backs Jemimah Rodrigues to come good in 2025 Women's World Cup

Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed confidence over Jemimah Rodrigues delivering the goods in the upcoming 2025 ODI World Cup. The 34-year-old also praised the batter for her energy on the field.

"It’s always good to see someone from your home city (Mumbai) who has played so many local games, represent the state, and then gone on to play for India. Not just in World Cups, but also in bilateral series. Jemimah has always been a great performer."

"Playing the World Cup is a huge opportunity, and I’m sure she will deliver because she’s a great teammate, always helping everyone around. As we all have seen, she brings amazing energy to the ground as well," Yadav said.

India will begin their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka at Guwahati on September 30. They will play two warm-up matches against England and New Zealand at BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.