Tejal Hasabnis Says Clear Preparation Drives Her Middle-Order Success

Vadodara, October 25: Indian batter Tejal Hasabnis says that solid preparation for varied match situations lies behind her recent strong performances. She feels this work gives her the clarity she needs when she goes out to bat at number four or five in the middle order.

Tejal produced two half-centuries for India A during a 50-over series against Australia A at Mohali. India A went on to win the series 2-1. Those displays have now landed her in the Indian side for the ongoing ODI series against Zimbabwe at the BCA Stadium.

Talking to broadcasters, she said that as a middle-order batter, preparation matters a great deal because she works hard to adjust to different situations. She explained that she practises several aspects in advance, such as the areas she wants to target and the kind of innings she intends to build.

She added that during a match, she simply tries to remain fully clear in her mind. Clarity, she believes, produces better results, and preparation is the reason she gets there.

Looking back at her back-to-back knocks of 81 and 60 against Australia A, the right-hander said that living in the moment and watching the match situation closely helped her stay ahead of the opposition bowlers. She concentrated on what was happening in the present, looked at the scoreboard and shaped her innings accordingly. Technically too, she was trying to stay a step ahead, and that worked.

When asked whether her preparation had been more mental or technical, Tejal pointed to self-belief as the crucial element. She also said she trusted her ability to shift gears in her batting when needed and keep the scoreboard moving forward.

“I feel it is all about the mindset,” she said. “I know I have both gears. If the team needs me to attack, I can do that, and if the situation calls for rotating the strike, I am good at that too. It is really about trusting yourself and batting according to the scoreboard.”