Kerala are currently placed at the second spot in Group A in the ongoing senior women’s T20 league, a win against Hyderabad on Sunday would seal the semifinal spot for them. They have managed to get across the line in three of the four matches so far, primarily riding on their collective team effort. They have helped and backed each other with the sole motivation of winning the match for their team. And it showed in the match where they pushed Maharashtra to the brink as the Smriti Mandhana-led side scrapped their way to a two-wicket win.
“It is what makes us stand out. We have our share of chunks in every department, but as a group, we are stronger together. We try to push each other to do well and cover when things don’t go well for our teammates,” Sajana told this daily.
And no one is doing it better than the 27-year-old as the captain can be seen egging on her best players on the field, trusting the bowlers with extra responsibilities ahead of her own bowling. So much so that every time a young player steps up and performs, one can see Sajana getting more emotional and involved than the player themselves.
“It’s very easy to set goals from outside, but a hundred things can go wrong on the field. As a captain, it's my responsibility to talk to the players about it and guide them along. We talk about it in team meetings and make sure the players are not affected if they fail,” she said.
One of the important things to be noted is the way Kerala have improved in women’s cricket after Sajana led them to the U-23 T20 title in 2018. Since then, things have taken a turn for good, with the Kerala Cricket Association investing more in the women’s game. They started a five-team T20 tournament in 2021 — which was live-streamed — where a lot of young talents were discovered. “It was a big turning point for us. We did not have these many youngsters coming through before, but now there are only five or six seniors and the rest are young players, many of whom came through the Pink T20 Challengers.”
Although they have done exceptionally well as a team, the individuals have hardly stamped their authority with stellar performances. Minnu Mani and Akshaya A have a half-century to show, but otherwise, apart from the opening game against Rajasthan, they haven’t been able to produce comprehensive performances. And, Sajana knows that more than anyone else.
“We are not sure what, but something is missing. We haven’t been up to the mark. In knockouts, we need the big individual performances from myself, Minnu and others to win,” admits Sajana, who hasn’t been able to convert the starts she’s got so far.
As someone who has been a part of the Challengers tournaments in the past, Sajana has shared dressing rooms with top India internationals and knows how they operate. This is why, she wants the individuals, including herself, to produce big performances.
“That’s what even the selectors tell us. Team performances will win matches, but to get to the top you need to be a little bit selfish. You need those fifties and four-fers regularly to beat the top teams. Only then, we can move to the next level both as players and as a team. Hopefully, after tomorrow’s match, it’ll happen,” Sajana signed off.