Deepti Sharma, a little calm can do wonders

Deepti Sharma is quite underrated despite being among one of the best all-rounders in women's cricket.

Top-billed player

Only three Indian players got a chance to ply their trade in the 2022 edition of the Women's Hundred with the big guns from South Africa, New Zealand and Australia back after the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, and Deepti was one of them.

This is a sign that Deepti Sharma is among the best players in the world and certainly one of the top all-rounders in women's cricket. However, she remains underrated in Indian cricket.

This claim is substantiated by the fact that she has been moved up and down the batting order over the last few years despite her consistently scoring.

Wanting to take responsibility

"I like playing in pressure situations, whether it is in any position in the team – batting, bowling, or fielding. As an all-rounder, I just want to contribute to my department and take the team forward. I like leading from the front, like in domestic tournaments when I play as a senior player and win matches for my team, that gives different confidence," Sharma said at the post-match virtual press conference after helping India save the test match against England.

"When you bring that confidence here, of course, this platform is not easy, but it depends on how you handle it. I now know how to read and handle situations, so I find it easy to play because I know I can handle things easily now."

Vulnerable in pressure situations

However, at times, it has been seen that Deepti Sharma can be a little vulnerable in pressure situations. After having a good 2022 Commonwealth Games, she had the match in her grasp after she hit Megan Schutt for a brilliant boundary straight down the ground in the dying moments of the CWG final.

From then on, she did not have to do a lot more than to rotate the strike sensibly with the run rate under control. But, she was dismissed at the most inopportune occasion and cost India the match. The way she set out for a run without judging it properly with Sneh Rana at the striker's end also pegged India back.

In the final of the 2020 T20 World Cup as well, she got the yips and bowled an ordinary first over, which set the tone of the match with Alyssa Healy taking her to the task. If only Deepti Sharma can learn to stay a little calm in pressure situations, she will become a totally different cricketer.