The parallels between Kohli and Smriti were almost destined to be made; the classy, anchor-style gameplay paired with the number 18 jersey along with a bright and bubbly smile. This description can be used for both players and no one would bat an eye. After the start of this year’s WPL, another stat has emerged-
Virat Kohli in IPL:
- 0 fifties in maiden IPL
- First fifty in the 3rd match of the second season
- Maiden fifty vs Delhi Capitals
Smriti Mandhana in WPL:
- 0 fifties in maiden WPL
- First fifty in the 3rd match of the second season
- Maiden fifty vs Delhi Capitals
Fans have found similar stats and essentially anything that these 2 have in common, terming it as the ’number 18 connection.’ This stat can easily be pushed aside as obscure stats that coincidentally match. After all, Indians love and live to compare and the legacy Kohli has built can’t just be attributed to Smriti just because of some matching features. But the comparisons aren’t without merit. Mandhana has been a consistent performer for the Indian team and packs the ability to single-handedly win games for her team. She acts like the rock of the team, where the players around her can play flexibly while she holds one end together. She has staked her claim as the definition of India and it is without doubt that if one were to be asked to name a woman cricketer, the first name most people would excitedly say is Smriti Mandhana. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Both Smriti and Kohli have duly appreciated each other as personalities and in terms of game, and with stats like the ones mentioned above, it is clear what fans think. Smriti is surely the Kohli of women’s cricket. While the trailblazing cricketer’s comparison to Kohli is far from unwarranted, it isn’t right to compare her feats with Kohli’s. Not only because every cricketer is unique and leaves a legacy of their own behind, but because the landscape of women’s cricket is much more different from men’s cricket. Smriti has been pivotal in bringing a larger audience to women’s cricket in India, and continues to be a great example to women pursuing cricket and to the world of what women can achieve in cricket.
With RCB’s current position in the table, it is vital for Smriti to keep leading the team from the front and get them to a playoff spot, and like time and again fans believe with vigour her ability to pull it off. After all, she’s THE Smriti Mandhana.
Image Credits @Cricktracker
