Sachin Tendulkar said ‘try to put it aside and start from scratch’, recalls ODI World Cup hero Jemimah Rodrigues

Jemimah Rodrigues (AP Photo) Indian batsman Jemimah Rodrigues has revealed how a timely message from cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar helped her stay grounded after one of the biggest moments of her career.Rodrigues hit a match-winning 127 against Australia in the semi-final of the Women’s ODI World Cup last year to help India beat a dominant side and move closer to a historic first world title. But the excitement and attention that followed left her emotionally overwhelmed.Talking about JioHotstar, she recalled that Tendulkar approached his coach Prashant Shetty with an important reminder. “Sachin sir called my coach Prashant Shetty. He asked him to tell me that he understood that the last few days have been a lot for me, the big blow against Australia in the semi-final, the joy of beating them.”Tendulkar’s message was simple: the team had one more job to complete. “He said, ‘try to put it down and start from scratch’. That message really helped reset my mind,” she recalled.Rodrigues said the advice changed her mindset before the final, adding: “I understood that what you did before won’t win you the next match. You have to approach every match as a new beginning. This advice from the legend gave me so much clarity before the final.”While Rodrigues played in the semi-finals, the final against South Africa saw opener Shafali Verma. Shafali scored 87 runs and took two wickets to play a key role in India’s title win.

Should athletes get advice from legends to help them cope with pressure?

His father’s voice woke Shafali

Before the final, Shafali received a motivational voice note from her father during the two-day break.“He said, ‘Just work hard. Give your best on the field and it has to be written that Shafali Verma helped India win the World Cup’.”The news gave her further motivation.“That voice gave me (some) extra fire. I knew I had to perform not just for myself, but for him and the team. It made me give everything I had on the field.”The defending ODI world champions are now gearing up for their opening match against Pakistan in the upcoming T20 World Cup in Birmingham.