Xplorich
MUMBAI: Fame changes many people, but some never forget the contribution of those who helped them succeed in their journey. India middle-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues, one of the heroes of the Women in Blue’s 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup triumph, on Sunday gifted her childhood coach Prashant Shetty a brand-new SUV.There are a few precedents of Rodrigues’ admirable gesture. On the occasion of Teachers’ Day in 2014, modern-day cricket legend Virat Kohli had gifted his childhood coach a car, something that Rajkumar Sharma revealed in a book in 2016. Similarly, the Pandya brothers — Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya — provided their childhood coach Jitendra Singh financial assistance of nearly Rs 70-80 lakh, including buying him a car.Shetty has been coaching Rodrigues since she was nine years old, when she walked into the MIG Cricket Club with her father Ivan, a mechanical engineer and cricket coach himself, hoping to learn the sport at the club’s cricket academy.For the past two decades, the 25-year-old batter has continued to train under Shetty, who has now launched his ‘Kkalpavriksha Cricket Clinic’ in Bandra. On Saturday too, she underwent a practice session with him. Rodrigues will soon leave for Bengaluru to join the India women’s team preparatory camp at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, to be held from May 10 to 16. She will then travel with the side to England for a three-match T20I series, which will be followed by the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in June-July.After Rodrigues slammed an unbeaten 76 against New Zealand women’s national cricket team in a crucial match and followed it up with a match-winning unbeaten 127 off 134 balls against Australia women’s national cricket team in the semifinals of the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup at the DY Patil Stadium, Shetty had recalled how a nine-year-old Bandra girl had first walked into the MIG Cricket Club with dreams of becoming a cricketer.“After seeing a glimpse of her talent, I decided to enrol her in our academy. The problem was that MIG Club had only a boys’ academy at that time. I spoke to the club officials, who knew me well since I had also played for the club, and told them she was a really talented girl. Allowing her to practise here may not benefit our club, but it will benefit that girl. Convinced by my argument, they made a special concession for Jemimah,” Shetty had said.The world knows Rodrigues as a simple Bandra girl who loves playing the guitar and was one of the heroes of India’s maiden Women’s ODI World Cup triumph last year. Her latest gesture reflects how firmly rooted she remains in her values.Shetty, who is the head coach of Thane Skyrisers in the Mumbai Cricket Association’s inaugural Women’s T20 League, which begins next month, also coaches Maharashtra and Delhi Capitals batter Prithvi Shaw and Mumbai and Chennai Super Kings opener Ayush Mhatre.
