When India needs a champion, they often look to Smriti Mandhana. Carrying the iconic No. 18 jersey, a number famously worn by Virat Kohli, she bears not only the legacy of a golden era but also the immense hopes of a nation yearning for a World Cup title. As India’s vice-captain and the top-ranked ODI batter globally, her role is undeniably central to modern cricket. With the 2025 Women’s World Cup just around the corner, India’s pursuit of a historic first ICC trophy hinges significantly on her elegant yet explosive batting prowess.
Mandhana’s recent performances have been nothing short of spectacular. In the recent three-match ODI series against Australia, her brilliance shone brightly. She scored a rapid 58 off 63 balls, followed by a match-winning 117 off just 91 deliveries, which propelled India to a commanding 102-run victory in New Chandigarh—their first home ODI win against Australia since 2007. The Delhi finale saw her unleash an even more remarkable innings: a record-breaking 125 off only 63 balls. This became India’s fastest ODI century and the second-fastest globally, trailing only Meg Lanning’s 45-ball feat. Her innings was a masterclass of signature cover drives and an astounding 198.41 strike rate. These explosive displays confirm that Mandhana is in peak form as an opener.
Her statistics for 2025 are truly exceptional: 928 runs in just 14 ODI innings at an incredible average of 66.28, including four centuries and three fifties. Beyond her heroics against Australia, she also delivered a blistering 80-ball 135 against Ireland and a confident 116 in the Tri-Series final versus Sri Lanka. Her consistent ability to convert fifties into centuries highlights her ruthless consistency. At 29 years old, she’s already the fastest Indian woman to reach 4,000 ODI runs, and she even surpassed Virat Kohli’s record for India’s quickest ODI century, achieving her milestone in just 50 deliveries. Given her stellar form and the home ground advantage that suits her aggressive playing style, this World Cup is set to be a record-breaking tournament for her. She is poised to surpass Mithali Raj’s Indian record of 178 runs in a single edition (set in 2017) and is within striking distance of Meg Lanning’s 15 centuries—one more would tie it, and two would rewrite history.
Smriti Mandhana’s journey is a testament to her unwavering grit and undeniable genius. Starting as a graceful, bespectacled 16-year-old debutant in 2013, she has evolved into a formidable 360-degree force on the field. A challenging ACL tear in 2017 tested her resilience, but by 2018, she was rightfully crowned ICC Cricketer of the Year. Her impressive 2021 Test century (127) during India’s tour of Australia and her leadership in securing the 2024 WPL title as RCB captain further underscore her incredible versatility. In 2025, her extraordinary 115.85 strike rate and her achievement of becoming the first Indian woman to score all-format centuries firmly establish her world-class status. The question isn’t whether she’s great, but if she’s India’s greatest—and her stats emphatically say yes. As India prepares to kick off their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka in Guwahati, Smriti’s sublime touch positions her as the undeniable trailblazer, ready to lead the charge.