Tears, Trials & Triumph: How Jemimah Rodrigues Battled Anxiety to Lift India

There are times in sport when a moment means more than the stats. For India’s women’s cricket team, one such moment came when star batter Jemimah Rodrigues not only smashed a record chase, but also revealed the mental battles behind her brilliance. Her raw emotion — tears in the post-match interview — told a story of anxiety, doubt and resilience. Let’s ride along that journey.

Setting the scene

In the semi-final of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, India pulled off the highest successful chase in women’s ODI history. But behind the headline innings, Jemimah was fighting more than just bowlers. She revealed afterwards:

“I have almost cried every day through this tour. I was not doing well mentally, going through anxiety. I knew I had to show up…” Inside Sport India+1“I was really upset… I used to just cry in my room, put a pillow over my head and start crying…” Cricinfo

That context re-frames her hundred (127 not out) and India’s win not just as sporting achievements, but bravery under pressure.

The mental health angle

• Jemimah has been open about having “a very low phase… low on confidence, didn’t have a lot of self-esteem.” Scroll.in+1

• She described nights of tears and uncertainty: “I cried a lot — not in front of everyone — but in the room.” Scroll.in

• She points out that mental fitness matters just as much as physical, especially when the calendar is packed and expectations heavy. Cricinfo

This is relevant for your blog (given your web-design/marketing background) because many audiences overlook the vulnerability behind the highlight reels.

The cricket turnaround

Having acknowledged her struggle, she also described how she changed things:

• A shift in batting role, mindset: She moved to batting positions that pushed her out of comfort — “If I walk in at No. 5, I must adapt” she said. Cricinfo

• Giving herself space to feel: She noted “for me, my coping mechanism is also to give myself some time to feel what I’m feeling… I’m a very emotional person.” Cricinfo

• Support systems: Teammates, coaches, and inner dialogue helped. For example, she credits elder-sister-figure Smriti Mandhana for emotional backup. Cricinfo

• Then came the big moment: In that semi-final she stepped in, hit a mammoth 127* and helped India win the chase. “Today was not about my fifty or my hundred; about making India win.” Inside Sport India+2Crictoday+2
  

Why this matters

• It humanises top-level sport: The tears weren’t weakness—they were evidence of pressure, human vulnerability.

• It connects sport to broader mental-health conversations: With athletes opening up, normalising anxiety and low phases helps break stigma.

• It gives your blog traction: You’re a web designer & marketer — weaving in lessons about resilience, mindset, and even user-journey (e.g., how someone moves from low to peak) could resonate with your audience beyond just cricket fans.