The star batswoman of the Indian women's cricket team, Jemimah Rodrigues, made history with her century on the evening of October 30 at the Navi Mumbai ground. While chasing the world record target of 339 runs, the strokes from her bat not only took India to the finals but also carried the struggle of a girl, her pain, and the silent strength of some people in her life.
Jemimah became emotional while speaking at the press conference after the match against Australia. There were tears in her eyes, but they were not of sorrow; they were of her comeback, of her triumph over struggle. She revealed that there was a time in her life when she was completely broken. In 2022, when she was excluded from the Indian team for the ODI World Cup, she fell into a pit of anxiety and depression. “I used to cry day after day, losing confidence in myself,” she said.
But during that time, some people held her hand, and that very hand became the support for her rebirth. Jemima said that her parents played a god-like role for her during that crisis. “Mom and Dad didn't let me give up. They reminded me that my worth is not just in runs, but in my efforts,” she said.
The remaining three people in her life were her teammates Arundhati Reddy, Smriti Mandhana, and Radha Yadav. Arundhati lifted her spirits during her emotional state, while Smriti Mandhana supported her not just as a cricket partner but as a friend. “Smriti took me back to the nets, made me hold the bat again. Because of her, I could believe in myself again,” she said. Speaking about Radha Yadav, she laughed and said, “Radha always kept me laughing. Sometimes a small smile can be a remedy.”
With the support of all these people, Jemimah stood up again. As she returned to the field, there was confidence in her eyes and gratitude in her heart. When she scored a century in the match against Australia, it wasn't just the joy of victory in her mind, but the faces of all those who had brought color back into her life. Today, Jemimah Rodrigues is not just a heroine of Indian cricket, but she has become an inspiration for millions of young people. Her story tells us that struggle cannot stop anyone if the right people are with you.