[WATCH]: Smriti Mandhana replies to Shubman Gill's message ahead of ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025

The ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025 is scheduled to start on September 30. India will play the opening match against Sri Lanka at the Barsapara Stadium. Ahead of the match, Smriti Mandhana received a special message from Shubman Gill, the captain of the Test team and vice-captain of the T20I setup. Mandhana replied to the message through a video. 

As the host nation of the World Cup, India will enter into the tournament as one of the favorites to win the trophy. Smriti Mandhana will be an instrumental figure for team India in the World Cup. She was in dominating form during the three-match ODI series against Australia. In this series, she smashed two centuries and one fifty. Mandhana's quick hundred broke Virat Kohli's record as well. The opener of India's women's cricket team completed the century in just 50 balls. In 2013, Virat scored a hundred off 52 deliveries against Australia. 

Ahead of the World Cup, Women in Blue has already played a warm-up match against England, and another practice match against New Zealand is yet to be played. Mandhana was not a part of the first practice match, where India suffered a 152-run defeat. 

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Shubman Gill's message for Smriti Mandhana 

Gill compared Mandhana's batting style with former Australia international Damien Martyn. The men's cricket star did not want to give any advise to the women's cricket team star, instead he urged Smriti to do what she is doing. 

"I think it is kind of Damien Martyn, how she plays. She has that slow, lazy elegance. Technique is something that gets you through tough phases. When you are under pressure or the situation is tough, it helps you. I actually would not give her any advice and tell her to be herself and keep doing what she is doing," Gill said while speaking on the BCCI Women's channel in a video.