Ellyse Perry praises Smriti Mandhana’s mindset, Harmanpreet Kaur’s tenacity

Australian cricket star Ellyse Perry has praised India’s Smriti Mandhana for her “incredible willpower” and “super-strong mind,” while highlighting Harmanpreet Kaur’s tenacity as one of her biggest strengths.

Speaking to JioHotstar, Perry said, “What makes Smriti so successful? Her amazing skill. She has got incredible willpower and a super-strong mind,” Perry said.

“She knows how to approach the game, how to prepare, how to understand herself and how to deal with challenges. She’s got it all.”

Perry also praised India captain Harmanpreet, describing her as a fierce competitor who can change the course of a game with her power-hitting.

“Harman, I think her greatest strength is her tenacity. She’s a great competitor, and when she’s going, she hits some of the biggest shots in the women’s game,” she said.

The veteran all-rounder also welcomed the introduction of the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy, saying the new tournament would provide another major opportunity for the women’s game.

“It is another great opportunity for the women’s game and for all the teams competing,” Perry said.

“From my perspective, it’s a new event, so it’s always exciting to be a part of something like that and a new spot on the calendar, which will be great for everyone.”

Perry expects the tournament to present a major physical and mental challenge, but believes the approach of every team will remain straightforward: winning every match.

“You want to play every game well. This tournament will be physically and mentally a huge challenge, and preparing for those matches, everyone is going to have to be spot on. But the mindset remains the same; you just want to win every game,” she added.