One of the stars of Indian Eves' memorable World Cup campaign, Deepti Sharma has cemented her reputation as one of the best all-rounders in the game today. The leading wicket-taker for India in the event explained her bowling style that earned her great success on the sidelines of a felicitation event here on Thursday.
"We have to bowl according to the field placements and keeping in mind the weaknesses of the batswomen. If the batswoman is vulnerable against flighted deliveries, we have to give the ball more air whereas if she struggles against flatter deliveries, then we have to lessen the flight," she explained.
Sharma also revealed the person she looks up to for inspiration.
"I follow Ravichandran Ashwin closely. I focus a lot on his carrom ball," she added.
When asked whether she herself posses the carrom ball and has used it, the 19-year-old responded with an emphatic "Yes."
She also discussed her relationship with Ekta Bisht, the left-arm spinner in the Indian side who picked up a five-for against Pakistan but wasn't picked for all the matches.
"Ekta Bisht is my senior, so when she is bowling from the other end, she keeps advising me and tells me that if we are getting a lot of dot balls from one end, then we have to ensure that the same is the case from the other end also. Because we have to bowl as a partnership and compliment the bowler from the other end," she said.
Sharma, though, understands that there isn't always room for both the spinners in the side and conditions can dictate the composition of the bowling attack.
"I think, whether we play with two spinners or one, entirely depends on the conditions that are before us," she added.
In spite of her success with the ball, the offie wants to excel in all departments, especially batting, of the game and justify her place as an all-rounder.
"I am basically a batting all-rounder and used to be an opener. But I was clear in my mind that whichever batting position I am slotted in, I have to do my best. Going ahead, I would like to focus on all three departments and succeed in them," she elaborated.
The teenager also shared the thoughts going through her head when she walked out to bat in the Final with the match sitting on a knife's edge.
"When I went into bat, we needed 28 runs to win. I decided at that time that I have to keep rotating the strike and taking singles because we had more balls than runs remaining.
“So, I intended to explain this to the incoming batswomen that this is how we have to achieve the target," she said.
One issue on which the off-spinner was very forthright was the need for a women's IPl. She feels that the event should have been in place a lot earlier.
"I think women's IPl should have been launched at the same time when men's IPl was launched. But it's still not too late. The sooner it is brought in, the better it is," she explained.
This opinion of Sharma is shared by many of her teammates as well as many experts and commentators who feel that the interest generated in women’s cricet after India’s success in the World Cup should be cashed in through a new T20 league.
With such a crop of talent in Indian women's cricket on view, few can disagree with her.