New Delhi, July 16 (IANS) With India set to begin their three-match ODI series against England at Southampton, veteran off-spin bowling all-rounder Sneh Rana said the confidence within the team is high and that the preparations have been going very well.

India come into the ODI series on the back of winning the T20I series 3-2 for the first time in England. The last time India played an ODI series in England, they won 3-0 in September 2022. “Coming into the ODI series, confidence is high and we are preparing very well. We will try to win the ODI series with a clean sweep margin.”

“But England is also playing well and they have good players. There will be a good fight and competition. We are also looking forward to it,” said Sneh in a video posted on BCCI’s social media accounts on Wednesday.

The T20I series saw Sneh make a comeback into the T20I team and though she didn’t pick up any wickets, she credited the Women’s Premier League (WPL) for paving her way back into the national set-up in the shortest format. Sneh had originally gone unsold in WPL 2025 auctions, but was drafted by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as a replacement for injured Shreyanka Patil.

“I believed in myself and that’s why I’m here. I made my Test debut in England in 2021. Then I was out of the team for a while in T20s and One-days. I have made a comeback and now I am back in England. In that period, I stayed away from the team, we were playing domestic matches, and I tried my variations in that. I have worked more in batting and on hard hitting. WPL has played a major role in my T20 comeback.”

She also talked about the time of getting a recall for the tri-series in Sri Lanka and picking Player of the Series award through her haul of 15 wickets. “In my room, beside the bed, there’s my almirah, and just in front of it, there’s an Indian flag and right under it, believe is written. So whenever I wake up, I look at it and just believe in yourself.”

“When I was selected for the tri series in Sri Lanka, I considered myself very fortunate that I got that opportunity. Wherever I was needed for my team, I can deliver there – that’s my mindset. I write and manifest a lot of things and I did this in Sri Lanka too. The day I took four wickets and then five wickets, I wrote and manifested.”

She signed off by acknowledging the support from her loved ones for making a comeback into the Indian team. “My family and friends have played a very big role in my journey. My biggest fan is my mom. She always makes me believe that just keep working hard and have faith in yourself. Comebacks are always greater than setbacks.”

–IANS

nr/