WPL 2023: Tahlia McGrath’s journey – teacher, bowler to No. 1 batter | Cricket News – Act Daily News

MUMBAI: “I thought I will end up teaching but thankfully cricket took off for me,” says the Australian all-rounder Tahlia McGrath, who nearly contemplated quitting due to a stress fracture in her again. Thankfully for Australia, the 27-year-old fought by means of the ache, underwent a protracted rehab course of, labored on her recreation and is now the No.1 T20I lady batter on the earth.
Since her T20I debut in October 2021, which additionally marked her return to the Australian workforce, McGrath has scored 615 runs in simply 18 innings at a median of 61.50 with the assistance of 5 half-centuries.
Among the gamers who’ve scored 600-plus runs throughout that interval, she has the very best common and strike price. Not unhealthy for a participant, who began as a bowling all-rounder earlier than damage compelled her to pay attention extra on her batting.
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McGrath was 21 when she broke into the Australian ODI facet in 2016 and subsequent 12 months, she made her Test debut in the course of the ladies’s Ashes. Her top and all-round performances within the home circuit earned her prompt comparability with the legendary Ellyse Perry.
Then, her again points meant she was out of the workforce from November 2017 to October 2020. So, how did she sort out the challenges thrown at her?

“There were a lot of people in my corner. Family, friends, everyone in the South Australian cricket set-up. I spent time with a mindset coach as well,” says McGrath, who performs for the UP Warriorz within the Women’s Premier League.
So far, she has scored 140 runs in 4 matches at a strike price of 159.09.
The rehab wasn’t straightforward although.
“It took me almost two years after my back injury to trust my body again. I remember I was having an MRI every month, undergoing a lot of rehab which was a pretty dark time,” says McGrath, who since her return has received the Ashes, ODI and T20 World Cup, gold at Commonwealth Games and likewise led Adelaide Strikers to their maiden WBBL title final season.

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But McGrath phrases the again damage as a “blessing in disguise”.
“That was the time I did a lot of work on my batting. Lot of work on my fitness and strength. And it probably made me more professional. If you want it, you got to work hard…” stated McGrath, who has changed into a bankable middle-order batter for Australia.
According to her, McGrath 2.0 is a “lot calmer, A lot more confident and likes to keep everything simple”.
“When I was younger, I put too much pressure on myself whereas now I know my game. I play to my strength and try to have fun,” stated the Arsenal fan, who additionally has a educating diploma which she will be able to fall again on after cricket.