Happy fulfilling any role team assigns: Deepti Sharma

Deepti Sharma, world number two all-rounder in ICC Women's ODI rankings has said that she backs herself as an all-rounder and she is ready to fulfill any role that the team assigns her.

"I back myself as an all-rounder. Batting-wise, I have prepared myself to go bat anywhere. If the team wants to use me as a floater or gives me a designated position, I am happy fulfilling any role they assign," ESPN Cricinfo quoted Deepti as saying.

"The Indian team has entered a stage where each one of us has a lot to prove, and as an all-rounder, I have a lot of work to do in every department because the competition has gone up," she added.

Deepti finished as the leading wicket-taker for India in the ICC Women's World Cup in 2017. She has quietly cemented her place in the side.

Deepti is one of the four Indian players (Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur) who will be taking part in the Women's Cricket Super League in England. Deepti will be representing Western Storm in the tournament.

The 21-year-old said that she draws inspiration from her Western Storm team-mate Smriti Mandhana.

"Smriti becoming the Player of the Tournament last season, becoming the leading run-getter last year, showed that Indians can not only do well, but excel," Deepti said.

"The way her consistency improved after that brief lean patch, it's been very encouraging for all [of us in the Indian dressing room]. She's kept scoring runs and, as ever, kept her composure while batting, which I admire in her," she added.

Deepti is the youngest Indian (male or female) to take a five-wicket haul in ODIs. The all-rounder gave an insight into her batting approach, saying she has now adopted an aggressive style of play.

"I tried to adopt a slightly more aggressive approach, because if at any point the team wants me to perform a role in that mould, I should be able to do that. My strength is playing in the V, but I've been trying to get more confident in other scoring areas too, with the slog sweep, the lofted strokes," Deepti said.

Women's Cricket Super League will begin from August 6 and Western Storm would face Loughborough Lightning in their opening match.