Jemimah Rodrigues on Monday heaped praise on young India bowlers N Sree Charani and Nandni Sharma, calling them match-winners built for pressure moments, as India gear up for the decisive third Women's T20 International against England in Taunton on Tuesday. The series is locked at 1-1, with the winner claiming the trophy and vital momentum ahead of the Women's T20 World Cup.

Charani's England Love Affair

Rodrigues was effusive about left-arm spinner Charani, who claimed a three-wicket haul in India's 28-run defeat in Bristol — the game India lost despite her efforts. 'I think Charani loves England. The last time she was here, she was the player of the series,' Rodrigues said at a press conference on Monday. She credited the young spinner's relentless work ethic, noting that a scheduled two-over net session routinely stretches to 24 overs because Charani refuses to stop. 'She's never satisfied. She wants to keep getting better,' Rodrigues added.

Nandni Sharma: Pressure-Proof on Debut

Rodrigues reserved equally high praise for Chandigarh-based pacer Nandni Sharma, who is playing her debut international series. Despite being taken to the cleaners alongside Arundhati Reddy in the final two overs of the Bristol game by a rampaging Freya Kemp, Rodrigues backed her without reservation. 'Whatever you ask, she always delivers. Even under pressure,' she said, attributing Nandni's composure to a standout Women's Premier League (WPL) campaign. 'The kind of WPL she's had, I think hats off to her.'

Rodrigues on Her Own Batting Versatility

With Yastika Bhatia slotting in at number three following her return from injury, Rodrigues has moved down to number five. She expressed comfort across the order, citing a statistic she had come across: a half-century at every batting position from opener to five. 'I'm comfortable at all positions. When I have clarity about a certain role, I know I can go out there and deliver,' she said. She also welcomed Bhatia's return, calling it 'a great advantage' and noting that Bhatia's performance after injury showed 'a lot of character.'

The Technical Tweak That Gave Her More Time

Rodrigues revealed a batting adjustment she had made some time ago, particularly useful on faster pitches. She described moving into a pre-positioned bat stance — already raised — rather than lifting the bat from a neutral position. 'That fraction of a second, I get time to judge, and it gave me a lot more power, even in my front foot drives, and even more time on the back foot,' she explained. She clarified the change was not specifically made for the upcoming World Cup.

Conditions at Taunton

On the Taunton surface, Rodrigues drew on her experience playing there in the Kia Super League. She described it as a batter-friendly track with a fast outfield and a pitch that brings the ball nicely onto the bat. She acknowledged there could be some swing but said the ongoing heatwave across England had made conditions somewhat closer to Indian surfaces — though still notably quicker. 'Bristol is usually on the slower side,' she noted, adding that Taunton should offer a better batting surface for Tuesday's decider.

India will need a collective effort to take the series, with the young bowling duo of Charani and Nandni expected to be central to the team's plans once again.