Star India all-rounder Sneh Rana picked her vice-captain Smriti Mandhana over ace batter Virat Kohli on being asked about her favourite cricketer, a week after she became part of the Indian squad that won the Women’s ODI World Cup title, India women’s maiden ICC title.
After India’s historic victory over South Africa, Rana was asked by Filmygyan to pick her favourite between Mandhana and Kohli. She chose her India teammate and vice-captain, Mandhana.
Mandhana played a pivotal role in India’s Women’s World Cup win, finishing as the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer with 434 runs in nine games at a brilliant average of 54.25.
Rana made a crucial all-round contribution, scoring 99 runs in five innings at an average of 49.5 and a strike rate of 113.79.
She claimed seven wickets at an economy rate of 5.67 as well.
As for Kohli, he featured in India’s ODI series against Australia on their home turf. After recording ducks in the first two games, he bounced back with an unbeaten 74 in the final match.
In the same interview, Rana was asked to match women’s team cricketers with the qualities of their counterparts from the Indian men’s team.
When asked which cricketer matched Kohli’s aggression, Rana named captain Harmanpreet Kaur. With India’s recent win, the latter joined an elite list alongside Kapil Dev and former India captain MS Dhoni as the only Indian skippers to have won an ODI World Cup.
Harmanpreet excelled not just as skipper but with the bat as well, leading from the front. She amassed 260 runs in eight innings at an average of 32.5, including two fifties.
When asked which cricketer in the team matched Dhoni’s calmness, Rana named herself. She has represented India in four Tests, 44 ODIs and 29 T20Is, scoring 121 runs in five Test innings and taking 23 wickets in the format.
In ODIs, Rana has 57 wickets with 380 runs from 30 innings.
