Bandra’s Middle Income Group (MIG) Cricket Club had never seen a girl walk through its gates with the resolve to become a cricketer — until one morning in 2009. Women’s cricket was then a niche pursuit. It had been less than three years that the BCCI took control of India’s women’s team. That, too, following an ICC directive.
For coach Prashant Shetty, it was only natural to be indifferent to the young girl who had just arrived. His focus lay on a group of boys he was certain would rise through Indian cricket’s ranks — and many indeed did.
Prithvi Shaw went on to play for India.
Arjun Tendulkar, son of arguably India’s greatest ever cricketer, went on to play in the world’s biggest franchise league — the IPL.
Atharva Ankolekar went on to play for Mumbai.
Yet, one of them would go on to achieve quite what that nine-year-old girl eventually did for the nation. And, it is not a surprise to Shetty, for he had gauged her talent after merely ten minutes into the trial.
The Cover Drive That Started It All
Speaking with The Quint on the eve of India’s 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup final against South Africa, he recalls:
The first day of training was essentially a selection trial. Her parents had requested it, as her brother was already in our academy, and they wanted me to have a look at her, who was just nine years old and already playing cricket. She trained alongside boys at the academy — at the time, we had players like Prithvi Shaw, Arjun Tendulkar, and Atharva Ankolekar, many of whom went on to play at the international level. She held her own in that group, and that’s how her journey began, and how I first got to know her.Prashant Shetty, Jemimah Rodrigues' childhood coach
What stood out from the trial?
The first ball she faced in our nets was a cover drive — and it was an eye-opener. We never imagined a nine-year-old girl could play with that level of skill. We watched her for about ten minutes and were immediately convinced that she had exceptional talent. I advised her parents that she should be encouraged to pursue cricket seriously, even though at that time she was also playing many other sports. And that’s how it all began.Prashant Shetty, Jemimah Rodrigues' childhood coach
An accomplished hockey player who once represented Maharashtra’s Under-17 side, and equally gifted in basketball and volleyball, Jemimah gradually gave cricket her undivided devotion. The nation, considering her unbeaten 127 against Australia in the semi-final, can only consider itself fortunate.
The girl, as Shetty calls, and her fans, is a gem. Her name is Jemimah Rodrigues.
The Role That Parents Played
Recalling the challenges of the initial days, with Rodrigues being his first female student, and the academy lacking a specialised structure for women’s cricket, Shetty states:
Back then, women’s cricket wasn’t as developed, and very few parents would even consider sending their daughters to play. The support from her parents was therefore immense — they encouraged her, and it was clear this was her passion, alongside hockey, football, and other sports. Over time, I bonded well with her parents, and naturally with her. Being a girl, we also had to ensure she was looked after properly, as this was new territory for her parents and for us — the structure was still developing.Prashant Shetty, Jemimah Rodrigues' childhood coach
Her parents, Ivan and Lavita Rodrigues, played perhaps the most decisive role in her rise. Ivan, a former cricketer-turned-coach, brought her to training every day and even moved from suburban Bhandup to Bandra to support her career. Lavita, meanwhile, managed every other detail behind the scenes.
The way her parents have raised her is remarkable — encouraging her to play multiple sports while instilling the ethics and discipline required not just in sports, but in life. They’ve taught her to be a good citizen, not just a good athlete. Full credit goes to them. As they say, children are a reflection of their parents, and you can see that in her. She’s a wonderful role model, not just as an athlete, but as a human being.Prashant Shetty, Jemimah Rodrigues' childhood coach
You Can Teach Cricket, But You Can't Teach Humility
Beyond cricketing prowess, Ivan Rodrigues has also imparted crucial life lessons on humility and unity.
She has always been grounded. Whenever she steps onto the field, she greets the maalis, thanks the bowlers after sessions, and acknowledges the coaches — even after playing for India. She hasn’t changed. Being in a team sport, she understands discipline and consistently looks out for others. Even when she wasn’t playing, she would send messages to encourage teammates. That’s who she is — a complete team player. It’s not easy to maintain that mindset when you’re dropped, but she has done it perfectly. That attitude is likely why she got her chance back, and she’s performed exceptionally. She truly embodies what it means to be a team player.Prashant Shetty, Jemimah Rodrigues' childhood coach
Biju George, who has been working with Rodrigues for the past eight years — across the Indian team and the Delhi Capitals side in Women’s Premier League — shares the sentiment. In a conversation with The Quint, he recalls receiving a surprise present from the cricketer.
The thing is, thanks to her parents — they’ve brought her up in such a commendable way. She doesn’t have to act humble; she simply is. She doesn’t pretend to care — she genuinely does. She’s deeply empathetic and a giver in every sense. I remember once, I do a lot of running, and there was a knock at my door — Jemimah stood there with a big bag full of running shoes, T-shirts, jackets — things I’d never asked for. That’s just who she is. Not just with me, but with all her friends — she’s a giver, through and through.Biju George; coached Jemimah Rodrigues at India & Delhi Capitals
George, too, had sensed greatness early on — not just from her skill, but from her radiant energy.
She brings incredible energy to the ground — it’s contagious. She lifts the entire team with her presence and has this unwavering belief in herself that she radiates to others. She makes you feel like we’re capable of anything and everything. She gives a hundred percent on the field, is completely dedicated, never skips a session — she’s the total package.Biju George; coached Jemimah Rodrigues at India & Delhi Capitals
Dealing With Setbacks
That, she now is being regarded as a superstar by the nation, and an inspiration for many girls, has brought joy to the Rodrigues coterie. Yet, it was less than a couple of weeks ago that she found herself dropped from the team, which triggered a period of anxiety attacks, where she admittedly cried almost every day.
One of those panic calls went to Shetty, who did his best to console the 25-year-old.
She was crying after getting dropped. But I sent a couple of messages to her. The first was that there was still every possibility for her to make the Indian team — she wasn’t completely out of contention. The second was a reminder that we were still in the tournament; the dream was very much alive. I told her to focus on practicing to the best of her ability, put in her hard work, and leave the rest to destiny. That was really the only thing under her control — the rest was a team management decision, something she simply couldn’t control.Prashant Shetty, Jemimah Rodrigues' childhood coach
George, too, had a conversation with the cricketer after the England game — wherein Rodrigues saw her team succumb to a defeat, from the sidelines.
I’ve known her for so many years — like a father knows what his daughter feels, I can sense what’s going on with her without her having to say anything. That day, I could sense that was not doing wekk. But she’s very courageous. The only thing I’ve ever reminded her is this: God has always been faithful to you. Every single time there’s been a setback, the comeback has been even better. So just wait for the comeback — and God has proved it again. She knows it too. She was 100% sure that it’s only a matter of one game before she’s back in the team and doing well.Biju George; coached Jemimah Rodrigues at India & Delhi Capitals
Built Different — Often Ignored, Never Vindictive
Having not been selected for the 2022 ODI World Cup squad, and not being assigned a stable batting position, George also believes his student has had her fair share of misfortune — and perhaps a bit more.
I feel she has been hard done by. She has never been given a fixed batting position, even though everyone knows that she is India’s best number three batter. At times, players were preferred ahead of her for no real reason. I just hope that remains her spot in the team going forward.Biju George; coached Jemimah Rodrigues at India & Delhi Capitals
Despite being ‘hard done by,’ as George puts it, Rodrigues has never been bitter for a day in her life.
Jemi is built different — from the inside out, not the outside in. I’ll tell you one thing: she truly lives her faith. Being a Christian, the most important thing is forgiveness, and she practices that every day. If someone hurts her, she forgives and forgets. She’s never vindictive — always happy for others and genuinely enjoys their success. If she does not get a chance and someone else does, Jemi genuinely wants her to do well. That says a lot about her character.Biju George; coached Jemimah Rodrigues at India & Delhi Capitals
Trolls Cannot Be Controlled. How You Respond, Can.
Beyond purely cricketing terms, Rodrigues has also been subjected to incessant trolling on social media — for a plethora of reasons so futile that words should not be spent explaining them.
How does she deal with trolls?
Trolling does not affect her. People throw stones at the tree that bears the most fruit — which only means she’s doing something right. Social media will always have its positives and negatives, but you can choose what to focus on. I tell Jemi to focus on the positives. People say she’s too much into social media. But today, it is a part of every sportsperson’s life — male or female. It helps bring visibility, advertisements, sponsors — it’s a source of income. If a Virat Kohli or a Suryakumar Yadav can do it, she can do it too. And so long she is promoting the right things, where’s the problem?Biju George; coached Jemimah Rodrigues at India & Delhi Capitals
On her support system, George adds:
As long as you don’t let it in, it can’t touch you. She has a very strong support system — her parents are incredibly solid, and her family foundation is strong. She’s deeply rooted in her faith in Christ and Jesus, and she’s surrounded by good friends like Smriti and Radha. She’s grounded — she knows what she wants, what kind of noise to filter out, and who to allow into her inner circle.Biju George; coached Jemimah Rodrigues at India & Delhi Capitals
Once More, Jemi
Ahead of the semi-final, coach Shetty had asked Jemi to adhere to only one guideline — hold the fort at one end.
She has been in situations where our team has faltered — she got out in crucial moments, like in the Commonwealth Games and even in World Cup semi-finals, and we ended up losing. Similarly, in a T20 match, when Harmanpreet got out, we lost that game. This time around, we had conversations about the best approach: to take the game deep, stay patient, and wait for the opposition to make mistakes instead of giving away opportunities. In the past, we crumbled under pressure, but now she learned from those experiences. She made sure to stay not out and finish the game. That speaks volumes about her mental strength — recognizing a familiar situation and stepping up to make a difference.Prashant Shetty, Jemimah Rodrigues' childhood coach
Ahead of the final, she has promised both of her coaches to produce another remarkable knock. Only this time, this might earn India the maiden women’s ICC senior title.
I had a conversation with her after the semi-final, and what she said really lifted me up. She was saying how happy she was to have done it for India, but also mentioned that this isn’t the end. She wants to do the same thing again for India in the finals and win us the trophy. For her, it’s not a final — it’s just another cricket match. That’s how she approaches it: goes out there, stays grounded, and simply does her best.Biju George; coached Jemimah Rodrigues at India & Delhi Capitals
Shetty adds:
She is a professional cricketer. She knows what she has to do in the final, so I have tried to keep outside noise to the bare minimum. Instead, we reflected on everything that had happened — both in the months leading up to the tournament and the heartbreak she had experienced. It was quite encouraging to talk about those memories and the impact of that innings.Prashant Shetty, Jemimah Rodrigues' childhood coach
Shetty would hope, as would George, alongside a billion others, that a new chapter gets added to the list of memories today.