Jemimah Rodrigues is already looking ahead to what could be a landmark year for women's cricket, with the Indian batter admitting that the inaugural ICC Women's Champions Trophy in 2027 will be a particularly special occasion.
Rodrigues' immediate focus remains on recovering from the hamstring injury that cut short her 2026 Hundred campaign, but the India batter has her sights set on the team's upcoming tour of South Africa and next year's Champions Trophy.
Speaking on JioHotstar's Follow the Blues, Rodrigues reflected on her experience in The Hundred before discussing India's upcoming challenges and the significance of the inaugural women's Champions Trophy.
Jemimah Rodrigues reflects on challenging Hundred campaign
Rodrigues made an impact during her stint with Southern Brave, helping the side reach
the playoffs before her tournament was cut short by injury.
The 25-year-old scored 143 runs in six innings, averaging 35.75 at a strike rate of 131.19, and produced two Player of the Match performances.
However, Rodrigues felt the biggest takeaway from her campaign was learning to adapt to difficult batting conditions.
"This year was really challenging. It was about adapting to different pitches and different conditions," she said, as quoted by JioStar.
According to Rodrigues, pitches across the competition were generally slower than in previous editions, making it important for batters to reassess what constituted a competitive total.
"Even though it's a 100-ball game, you still have to adapt to the conditions and figure out what is a good, challenging score," she said.
She also highlighted the importance of calculated risk-taking when chasing relatively modest totals.
The experience could prove valuable as Rodrigues prepares for India's upcoming assignments, particularly with the team set to face challenging conditions in South Africa.
India face major South Africa challenge
India's multi-format tour of South Africa later this year will provide another important test for Rodrigues and the team.
The batter expects a competitive contest between two sides that have become increasingly familiar with each other in recent years.
"It's going to be a really exciting series for sure. Both teams have been doing really well," Rodrigues said.
"We've had a lot of rivalry lately and played a lot of matches against South Africa. "
With both teams among the leading sides in women's cricket, Rodrigues believes the tour will offer India an important opportunity to test themselves away from home.
"I think it's going to be great, with two of the top teams in the world facing each other in South Africa," she added.
Champions Trophy holds special significance
Beyond the immediate South Africa assignment, Rodrigues is already looking forward to the 2027 ICC Women's Champions Trophy, which will be the first edition of the tournament in women's cricket.
For Rodrigues, the prospect of being part of the inaugural competition adds another layer of significance.
"It's happening for the first time ever in women's cricket, and I'll be a part of it for the first time as well, so it'll be pretty special," she said.
India will enter the tournament with expectations high after tasting success in recent ICC competitions, something Rodrigues believes has strengthened the team's hunger to remain at the top.
"We've tasted success once, and we know what it feels like to be at the top. The more you taste it, the more you want to be there," she said.
Jemimah Rodrigues keeps team ahead of individual goals
Despite the personal significance of the Champions Trophy, Rodrigues insisted that India's approach will not change.
The batter believes the focus must remain on collective success rather than individual milestones, regardless of the scale of the tournament.
"I think mindset-wise, nothing changes. At the end of the day, it's about the team and how to make the team win, and that always stays," Rodrigues said.
For a player who has already established herself as an important part of India's middle order, the next year could be particularly significant.
First comes recovery and the challenge of returning to full fitness. Then comes South Africa, before the biggest prize of all - the chance to be part of history when women's cricket stages its first Champions Trophy in 2027.
