"Smriti Mandhana can carry Indian women's game for a long period"- Gautam Gambhir

Former Indian cricketer and cricket expert Gautam Gambhir was impressed with the way Indian women's opener Smriti Mandhana batted in the pink-ball Test against Australia.

Mandhana scored a sensational 127 in the first innings and helped the visitors take a commanding position in the game. She was adjudged the Player of the Match after her performance as the game ended in a draw.

Writing in his column for the Times of India, Gautam Gambhir explained why he feels Smriti Mandhana could be the flag-bearer for the future of women's cricket in India. Here is what he had to say:

"Just because she bats left-handed (like me), I am not biased towards Smriti Mandhana. I genuinely believe that along with a few others, she has a pair of shoulders that can carry the Indian women’s game for a long period."

Gautam Gambhir also spoke about the way Smriti Mandhana relies on timing more than brute force during her strokeplay. He added:

"Mandhana is easy on the eye, someone who has based her batting on timing rather than power. She operates in partnerships, can place the ball in gaps as if she is operating with a Google locator."

Gautam Gambhir on Smriti Mandhana being in touch with childhood coach

Gautam Gambhir liked that Smriti Mandhana is still taking advice from her childhood coach Anant Tambvekar. It was the coach's wish that Mandhana should get a big hundred and she fulfilled it against the Aussies.

"I liked the fact that Mandhana is still in touch with her childhood coach Anant Tambvekar," Gambhir went on to write in his column. Sometimes, as the wheel of life gathers pace, it is easy to forget your roots but clearly the lady hasn’t. If I read the news article alright, the coach asked Mandhana to go for a 'Big Daddy Hundred' and she obliged during the pink-ball Test match against Australia," Gautam Gambhir concluded.

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