Why Jemimah Rodrigues Must Bat During the Powerplay: The Numbers and Technical Analysis Tell the Story

Trisha Ghosal, Cardiff

As India continue their preparations for the Women’s T20 World Cup, one question around the batting order keeps resurfacing: where should Jemimah Rodrigues bat?

The answer, however, may not be as straightforward as assigning her a fixed number. In fact, the evidence suggests that Jemimah’s batting position is far less important than the stage of the innings at which she arrives at the crease.

Whether she bats at No. 3, No. 4 or even No. 5, India’s best chance of maximising her strengths comes when she walks in during the Powerplay.

The numbers support it. The technical analysis supports it. And perhaps most importantly, Jemimah’s batting style supports it.

A batter built on timing, not brute force

Unlike some of the game’s most destructive T20 hitters, Jemimah is not a batter who relies primarily on power. Her game is built around timing, placement, quick footwork and finding gaps.

She is a traditional batter in many ways, albeit one who has successfully incorporated modern T20 options such as the scoop and reverse sweep into her repertoire.

Her greatest strength is not clearing long boundaries at will. It is manipulating the field, rotating strike and gradually building an innings before accelerating.

That is precisely why the timing of her arrival matters.

What the Str8 Bat analysis reveals

A detailed technical breakdown, created with RevSportz’s technological partner Str8 Bat, examined two consecutive deliveries from the first T20I against England.

The first was a boundary struck by Jemimah off Charlie Dean. The second was the next delivery on which she was dismissed.

The contrast was striking.

On the boundary ball, Jemimah played with a full and open bat face. Her base was stable, her movement controlled and her balance intact. The analysis showed a timing index of 100 per cent, while 87 per cent of the ball connected with the sweet spot of the bat.

The very next ball told a different story.

Attempting to force the scoring rate, Jemimah stepped out and was still moving as the ball arrived. She never established a stable base. Her feet came off the ground, her balance was compromised and the bat face closed at impact.

The result?

Her timing index dropped from 100 per cent to 80 per cent. Even more revealing, sweet-spot contact collapsed from 87 per cent to just 19 per cent before she offered a catch.

The dismissal was not merely about execution. It highlighted a recurring pattern. When Jemimah tries to manufacture scoring opportunities too early or too aggressively, she can lose the balance and stability that underpin her game.

A similar trend was visible in the third T20I, where she was still moving while attempting to counter a dipping slower delivery from Lauren Bell and ended up yorking herself.

For a batter whose success depends heavily on timing and balance, stability is everything.

The numbers strengthen the argument

Since the 2024 T20 World Cup, Jemimah has played 22 T20Is. During that period, she has scored 590 runs at an average of 31.05, including five half-centuries. At first glance, the discussion appears to be about batting position.

Of those 22 innings:

• 18 came at No. 3
• 2 came at No. 4
• 2 came at No. 5

At No. 3, she has scored 491 runs at an average of 32.73. At No. 4, she has scored 98 runs at an average of 49. At No. 5, she has scored just one run.

Yet the more revealing statistic lies elsewhere.

The Powerplay factor

Of those 22 innings, Jemimah arrived at the crease during the Powerplay on 12 occasions. In those 12 innings, she scored 370 runs at an average of 37 and registered three of her five half-centuries.

That is not a coincidence.

When she arrives during the Powerplay, she has the opportunity to exploit fielding restrictions, find boundaries through placement and settle into her innings before the field spreads.

By the time the middle overs begin, she is already set.

And a set Jemimah Rodrigues is a dangerous batter capable of turning starts into match-defining scores.

This is why the debate should not revolve solely around whether she bats at three or four. The more important question is whether she gets enough time to construct an innings.

Why the death overs don’t suit her

The opposite trend emerges when she arrives at the crease in the final five overs. The sample size is small, but still noteworthy. In the two innings where Jemimah came in during the last five overs, she scored just one run.

The reasons are understandable.

At the death, there is no time to settle. The expectation is immediate acceleration. For naturally powerful hitters, that challenge is manageable. For a batter whose strengths are timing, touch and manipulation of gaps, it often forces a different approach. Instead of building an innings organically, she is compelled to manufacture shots from the outset.

The Str8 Bat analysis demonstrates exactly what can happen when that occurs.

She begins searching for angles, creating scoring options before she is fully set and taking risks before establishing balance. The likelihood of mistimed shots and dismissals inevitably increases.

India’s simplest solution

The solution is remarkably straightforward. If India lose an early wicket, Jemimah should be next in. Whether that means No. 3 or No. 4 is secondary.

What matters is ensuring she enters during the Powerplay, when her strengths can influence the game most effectively.

The evidence is clear. The technical analysis is clear. The statistics are clear. Jemimah Rodrigues is at her best when she has time to settle, assess conditions and build an innings. The sooner she arrives, the greater the chance that India will reap the rewards.

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