I’m not a cricket fan. In fact, I hardly ever follow a sporting event. But cricket is a religion in this country and one can’t ignore it especially when India wins big. On October 30, 2025, the Indian women’s team, led by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, defeated the mighty Australians to enter the World Cup final. A lot has been said and analysed about India’s win on the pitch, but true victory, for many women, lies elsewhere today. In a rare moment of vulnerability in sport, batter Jemimah Rodrigues opened up about her struggles with anxiety in a post-match press conference. Instead of shying away from emotion, Jemimah leaned into what she felt in the moment, showing the world that tears don’t mean weakness.

“I used to call my mum and cry”: Jemimah Rodrigues on anxiety

At the press conference, Jemimah spoke about suffering from anxiety and said, “I was going through a lot of anxiety at the start of the tournament and it was a lot. Before few games also, I used to call my mum and cry, cry the entire time, let it all out, because when you’re going through anxiety, you just feel numb. You don’t know what to do. You’re trying to be yourself. And also in this time, my mum and my dad, they supported me a lot.”

Jemimah also spoke about how her mental health affected her performance on the field and her belief in herself.

“It started with the anxiety thing. Then I was dropped from the team and that really hit me,” she said, showing her resilience amid tears. “When you’re dropped, you have a lot of doubts because I always want to contribute to the team. But that day, I couldn’t do much sitting out. And then when you come back in, it’s a lot more pressure with everything that was happening in the past month…But sometimes, all you need to do is just hang in there and things fall into place. So, I’m very grateful for the people who believed in me when I couldn’t and were there for me and understood me because I couldn’t do this on my own.”

Why female friendships matter

Jemimah Rodrigues’ press conference was more than just a congratulatory run or analysis of the match. Besides speaking about her anxiety, Jemimah took the time to appreciate her friends and teammates who continue to help her.

“There was Arundhati (Reddy) who, I think, almost every day, I’ve cried in front of her. Later, I was joking, I said, you don’t come in front of me, I’ll start crying. But she checked on me every single day,” Jemimah said as her voice wavered. “And there was Smriti (Mandhana), who helped me. She also knew what I was going through. A few of the net sessions, she was just standing there. Even yesterday, she came. She just stood there just because. Didn’t say much, but she just knows that her presence is important for me. There’s Radha (Yadav) who’s always been there taking care of me. I’m so blessed to have friends I can call family, that I didn’t have to go through it alone and it’s okay to ask for help.”

Are women too emotional for sports?

Women are often labelled too emotional, too dramatic for “manly” pursuits like sports, business or politics. But the female gender doesn’t enjoy a monopoly on emotionality. Far from it. Men, especially in sports, regularly curse and yell at each other on the field. We don’t label them as too emotional. Mostly because anger isn’t seen as an emotion, it’s perceived as a sign of strength.

Logically, though, what do you think is stronger – cussing out your opponent in a fit of rage or talking about and tackling your weaknesses without trying to hide them? What is the true sign of a strong, mature sportsperson – someone who thinks their victory is their own or the one who accepts that they needed help every step of the way?

There’s a lot said about quiet strength, but Jemimah Rodrigues was vocal about her weaknesses. She was vulnerable in front of the world, she was honest about her mental health, and showed the world what grit and determination actually looks like.

I’m not a fan of cricket, but today, I’m a fan of Jemimah Rodrigues and every sportswoman like her who chose not to give into masculine notions of strength and embraced their true selves.

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