18 March - Auckland - India player Smriti Mandhana pre-match press conference

Reporter: My question for you is that the Indian team has lost lot of, 3-4 wickets under 100 runs - like they're losing wickets in a cluster. So what has been the discussion in the batting group about how to solve this problem?

Smriti: Yeah, definitely. I think we have been losing wickets back to back and that's something which we as a batting unit want to address it and I think 50 overs is all about partnerships, good partnerships. So we definitely want to work on it. And I think – as set batter, it’s more responsibility for that better to take the game forward from that time when you're able to time the ball well. So that's something which I'll be really conscious about, that we don't have to lose wickets back to back and develop a partnership from there, because yeah, I think when one or two good partnerships, we'll be able to post a total which will be a good total.

Reporter: Deepti Sharma’s form has not been that good with the bat in recent times, she struggled in the middle overs especially - is that a concern for the Indian team and especially the middle order that plays around her?

Smriti: Well, see when you come to a tournament or when you go to a series, not that all the batters are going to be able to bat in a certain way. But I think as a batting unit, we have to back everyone and definitely I think she scored a good 40 runs in the first match. But yeah, in last three matches she was not able to contribute, but I'm sure that she's just one game away from getting a good score. So I think as a batting unit, we are just there to back everyone because not that every day, the seven batters are going to go and click- so whoever - our thing is that whoever two or three is getting to time the ball well, it's their responsibility to play the 50 overs and get to a respectable total. So I don't think it's a big worry for us because I'm sure that she's just one match away from getting a good score.

Reporter: My question is, so we saw during the New Zealand series and even in the discussions around the build up to the World Cup how batting was the strength and bowling was a bit of a concern. And then at the start of the World Cup, the bowlers have stepped up, the batting has been a little up and down, good performances - also not so good performances. What do you put down the up and down nature of the batting performances since the team has landed in New Zealand? Is that something that has been discussed? Is there an explanation for what we have seen?

Smriti: Well, if I had an explanation, I would have definitely discussed in the team dressing room but I wouldn't say there's any explanation because you cannot really - as a player when you represent India. There's no explanation we can give for something like that. But in the series, I think our batters were really doing well. We're getting a good total on board. But yeah, I think in the last four match our batting unit together hasn't clicked and that's something which we all really want to work on and I'm sure there'll be a perfect game for the batters and I'm sure that - I hope that the game is tomorrow that we get a perfect game for the batter's and of course our bowlers are doing amazing job. They just need a little more support from the batter's to get the ‘W’ on the board.

Reporter: Eden Park is primarily used for rugby and football matches. So do you guys find it a bit odd - Have you guys been on the field, like having a feel of those square shaped kind of grout?

Smriti: I've just come to the ground and the first thing which I come and do is the press conference. I have to still have a look at the ground, but I remember we had - I think we had played here in 2019 - not sure if it was a 20-20 match. Yeah, definitely the square - I think the boundary size is not equal from the center wicket at all the places, that’s something which we will definitely have a look now once we start practicing and that will be all about where to stand as a fielder. I think that's going to be really important on this ground because at some places you have to be four or five steps in and sometimes you have to be on the boundary. So that's something which we'll discuss with the fielding coach, once we have a look at the ground.

Reporter: If you can talk about any changes in the batting order, we have seen that Deepti and Mithali exchanged positions during the first four games, can we expect Harman bat higher up since she's in form now?

Smriti: Well, I think I'm not the correct person to answer this question. This decisions are more about the core group, the captain, vice-captain and the coaches. So yeah, I think those will be the people who will be able to answer it. So I don't think that for me to comment on this - this question would be a good thing because I don't have a have an idea about it.

Reporter: Just wanted to follow up on one of the dimensions thing that's been asked before, with the daylight match and weather coming into play. How important is catching under lights would be and especially the batting approach could be rain comes into play again.

Smriti: Well, I think today, it's too early to predict anything about tomorrow, like we cannot as players go into 50 over Match thinking this might happen, that might happen. We have to bat a certain way. I think for us batting and bowling. We'll just look at it as like a fresh day of like - we're going to go and face the first ball and definitely change ourselves because all our players are really adaptable, they can adapt to going into an aggressive zone of batting or if they want to step back and maybe play a defensive role and also same with the bowlers So I think today if we think about all these things, we will today try and think that it's going to be a 50 over match tomorrow, and our preparations will be alongside that, but definitely we have it in our back of the mind regarding the weather, but I think that will change more about on the ground tomorrow. And I think that would be a perfect way to do it because you cannot really go with assumptions about - this will happen that will happen and you cannot plan things according to that.

Reporter: Also a quick update on Harman’s availability after what happened in the previous match. She is fit and ready to play?

Smriti: Yeah, yeah, she's fit and ready to play.

Reporter: My question’s more personal to you. You personally enjoy playing against Australia since the very start of your career. What do you think about that team that kind of gets the best out of you and what are you most looking forward to ahead of tomorrow's game?

Smriti: I don't really know what gets the best out of me against Australia, but I think they're a really competitive team. And sometimes when the bowlers are - they want to - they're like going hard on you and I think somewhere I'm not that aggressive person by nature, but somewhere inside me somewhere there is an instinct where I want to really do well and maybe get back to them with the bat. That's something which maybe really motivates me against Australia.

And yeah it's a very important game tomorrow. Hope I can contribute tomorrow as well against them.

Reporter: My question is that after two wins, two defeats essentially it's down to winning every game left now to be able to guarantee yourself a position in the semifinals. How does the leadership groups which I believe involves you, motivates the team ahead of a very, very crucial encounter that's tomorrow?

What's the talk like and how do you keep the group together after sort of an up and down tournament?

Smriti: Well, I think looking around this time, I think the girls are really motivated, and they really want to go out there and win the match and I don't think - there's not much we have to do because they are all really pumped up. They know what kind of situation we are in at the points table and they know how important the game is. So everyone is really pumped to go out there and get two points on board and how important the match is. And also, I think we have Mughda Mam with us, who is our sports psychologist, because of her a lot of things, like a lot of this these kinds of talks are happening from her end which is really helping the whole team are to gel up – not gel up I would say, just to go out there with a fresh mindset and give their best.

Reporter: So I have two questions. First one – Smriti you have played quite a fair number of games against Rachael Haynes who happens to be the highest run getter so far in the tournament. Of course, she wasn't there at Thunder when you played for them, and you also happen to be quite an advocate for left handers in the opposition lineups. What do you make of this senior player in the Australian side who has done well over the years, especially in World Tournament she keeps digging her heels in in important matches as the vice-captain. What do you make of a player like her and do India have specific plans to counter the way she has gone about in this tournament?

Smriti: Well, I think Rachel Haynes is really important in this Australian lineup because I think she's the one who's anchoring the innings because they have a lot of batters who go out there and want to express themselves, want to be aggressive and she's the one who helps and has that sort of balance in the team, and if we get her early tomorrow, it will be a very good start. Because if you get the anchor out then the batting lineup gets a bit disturbed. So I think that's – and yeah, I think she has a lot of experience with her age and kind of the number of years she's played. She has a lot of experience and she's a major part of that leadership group as well. So, yeah, it will be a good battle against her tomorrow and we have a lot of plans against all the batters and I hope they work tomorrow.

Reporter: Want to know from you your thoughts on Jhulan Goswami going to play her 200th ODI tomorrow

Smriti: Well, I think it's a proud moment for all of us for Jhulu di to play her 200th match and for us to be a part of the history she's going to make. I think it's amazing feat for her and I think for a pace bowler to play for that many years and to be playing in 200 matches is something incredible and that's all thanks to her work ethics and yeah, she's motivated everyone, all of us and I'm sure tomorrow is going to be another day she's going to be a motivation for all of us here as well as back home all the girls who are watching us on now on TV, she's going to be a motivation and I'm sure she's going to keep motivating everyone around.

Reporter: A few minutes ago, a couple of hours ago in fact, Australia head coach Matthew Mott said that the loss they faced against you all in 2017 World Cup semifinal is now a non-event, so it really doesn't matter to them now. Have there been any discussions around just jogging your mind back to that particular game in the lead up to Saturday's clash? Have the psychologist or other members of the coaching staff got together to just revive those memories and help you get pepped up?

Smriti: Not really, I don't think -as I said this time the whole group is really motivated enough to go out there and play a match and win for us. We all know - everyone knows what has happened in 2017 but I think it's better that we don't really think about it. It's going to be a fresh day. More than 2017, we definitely had a word about how we went about in the series against Australia when we were touring Australia and the kind of cricket we played there and the kind of bowling we did there. So I think that's something which we have had discussions around and that's something which has given a lot of confidence to all the players because we have done well in the recent past against them - definitely we couldn't win the series but we almost won two matches. Second match also we almost won against them. So it would have been like a series win - so that’s kind of the brand of cricket we wanted to play and we played that - so that's something which has definitely motivated all the girls to go out there and perform the same way.