When coach 'scolded' Smriti Mandhana for copying Kumar Sangakkara's batting style

Bengaluru, July 1: Her elder brother's name was often seen in the newspapers. The name of her elder brother was Sravan Mandhana. Sravan was a regular member of the under-19 Maharastra cricket team in all the national level championships that time.

Women's World Cup special site; Photos

As its outcome she, Smriti Mandhana used to ask her mother often saying, "I want to be like elder brother. I want also my name get published in the newspapers."

So, Smriti started accompanying her elder brother and came to the coaching camp of Anant Tambvekar in Sangli where Mandhana family settled in spite of being born in Mumbai.

Smriti not satisfied despite 2 match-winning knocks

She has been one of the key cricketers in Indian women's team for last couple of years. Anant, speaking from Sangli over phone on Friday, seemed ecstatic as he said, "She has not forgotten me yet. After scoring the century in the group league match in the World Cup she called me from London, asked me whether she had made any technical mistake during her century. I did not expect phone call from her."

Anant revealed, "Smriti was very lively since her childhood. But at the nets she was extremely disciplined. She never used to leave the nets unless she had mastered a shot. Later on she became fan of Kumar Sangakkara. In the nets she always tried to copy Sangkara while batting. Sometimes I had scolded her for trying to copy the Sri Lankan great."

Smriti had earned her place in the Maharastra Under-19 team only at the age of 11 years. Then Smriti did not have to look back. But Anant stressed on one important point, saying, "I have never seen Smriti being elated after a century or even after a match-saving performance. She always pretends nonchalant. Last week also, after scoring century in the World Cup when Smriti called me, she was as usual nonchalant."

OneIndia News