Harmanpreet Kaur has admitted that she expected a long recovery from her back injury in March after she contracted COVID-19 later that month, affecting her preparations, leading to India's tour of England. was going on. That, in turn, has played a part in his lean patch with the bat on tour, he said.
Kaur scored 4 and 8 in the drawn one-off Test in Bristol last month, followed by 1, 19 and 16 in the one-day series.
"I like to train every day and work hard every day. I didn't get much time to prepare due to Covid and injuries," Kaur said ahead of the first T20 match in Northampton. "It's not an excuse because I'm someone who takes a little time on the ground to prepare because at the international level, you can't come easily and get things done easily.
"It is not easy to develop the mindset and attitude you need at this stage. But after five innings [on this tour], I have understood how and in which areas I need to improve. In the T20I series You will definitely see a different point of view. From my side."
Kaur suffered a groin injury during the fifth and final ODI against South Africa on March 17, and missed the three-match T20I series, after which Smriti Mandhana led the team in her absence. There was no official word from the BCCI at that time on the nature or severity of Kaur's injury.
“During the game [the fifth ODI] I picked up a groin injury on the left side, which was already a grade-four injury in my right groin,” said Kaur, who explained the specifics of the injury and rehab. asked about. out after that. “Given that ODIs [than T20Is] are longer and after rehab… then, as I said earlier, because of Covid we are not getting the practice games that we get before international assignments. So it's not the right thing to go straight and play [in the main matches] and test yourself.
"But we didn't have any extra time. And I'm someone who likes to give 200 percent on the field and the chances of injury can be high sometimes. I know my physio and trainer say, 'Just Save yourself and play, 'cause I like to give 200 percent."
While her recovery had begun, Kaur tested positive for Covid-19 on March 29, as the second wave of coronavirus infections swept India.
"[The second] back injury was grade-two, but the NCA (National Cricket Academy) was also closed at that time because of covid, so I was doing my rehab online through a zoom meeting. And during that time I was myself. Covid happened, so the injury that would have needed 15 days [to recover] took about two months, and then a month after the covid, as you might know, you have to go into your body and train Don't feel much power.
"That period didn't allow me to work much on my batting or bowling skills. I was just working on myself so that I could be physically fit for the team."
Kaur also said that the lack of practice matches in England prevented her from building her batting line-up.
"We didn't get a single practice match and we were fighting for the open net session as well," she said. "I generally prefer more open nets and practice games than nets because in regular nets you don't get much thought and every day you are facing the same bowlers so you can't analyze how you have to bat. Should do
"These are not excuses, but a reality that I faced. It's just a matter of one good innings and once you get that momentum back I will definitely take it forward."
Before taking the field from injury and Covid, Kaur was looking in form during the ODIs against South Africa in Lucknow. In India's first international series in close to a year, he made 40, 36 and 54* before being retired hurt on 30 in the final game. In India's last assignment before that series, the T20 World Cup in Australia, Kaur went through a poor run, managing a top score of just 15 in five innings.
His performance in that tournament was in stark contrast to his performances in other recent ICC events: his unbeaten 171 in the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup in 2017 and his 103 in the 2018 T20 World Cup opener were crucial to India's strong performance. in both tournaments.
"I watch videos of matches where I have performed well, whether it was a long innings or a cameo to win," said Kaur, when asked if she could use her past performances to prop herself up. Used to lift when the runs are not flowing. “You feel like watching such innings many times because they always motivate you to perform better and they boost your confidence.
"But in the back of the mind, as I said earlier, I am someone who works out every day and I have realized this time (during this tour) when you don't have enough time for me to prepare. I am watching those videos of myself and I hope they help me in this T20I series.