Following her match-winning semi-final knock against Australia, Indian cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues candidly spoke about her mental health struggles; actor Deepika Padukone, a prominent mental health advocate, saluted her courage on Instagram Stories.
A Game-Changer On and Off the Field
Indian cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues became a national hero on Thursday after delivering a breathtaking, match-winning performance in the Women’s World Cup 2025 semi-final against Australia in Navi Mumbai. Her fantastic innings paved the way for India to register the highest-ever chase in Women’s ODI history, successfully hunting down 339 with five wickets and nine balls to spare. Jemimah’s unbeaten knock of 127 off 134 balls earned her the prestigious Player of the Match title.
However, it was her bravery after the victory that drew equally significant praise. Following the emotional win, Jemimah Rodrigues, visibly moved, opened up during the post-match interaction about her personal struggle with anxiety throughout the tournament.
Deepika Padukone Salutes Jemimah’s Courage
On Friday, actor Deepika Padukone—who has been a vocal champion for mental health awareness in India since sharing her own battle with depression—took to her official Instagram Stories to give a heartfelt shoutout to Rodrigues for her raw honesty and vulnerability.
Deepika re-shared a video clip featuring the cricketer speaking candidly about her struggle. In the clip, Rodrigues thanked her friends and teammates for providing unwavering support during her most difficult moments.
Reposting the video, Deepika wrote a powerful and simple message:
“Thank you Jemimah Rodrigues. For your vulnerability and for sharing your story (folded hand emoji).”
Jemimah’s Candid Confession
Jemimah’s post-match conversation provided a rare and emotional look behind the athletic façade. She revealed that she was experiencing significant anxiety at the start of the eight-team tournament, which worsened before some games.
“I’ll be very vulnerable here because I know if someone is watching this – might be going through the same thing and that’s my whole purpose of saying it because nobody likes to talk about their weakness,” Jemimah stated.
She described the depth of her struggle:
“I used to call my mum and cry, cry the entire time, let it all out, because when you’re going through anxiety, you just feel numb. You don’t know what to do.”
Jemimah specifically credited her family and teammates for helping her overcome the mental block. She mentioned her mother and father’s constant support, and singled out her teammate Arundhati Reddy (“She checked on me every single day”) and star opener Smriti Mandhana, whose mere presence at net sessions was enough to calm her.
She also spoke about the self-doubt that crept in when she was momentarily dropped from the team, increasing the pressure upon her return. Jemimah concluded her emotional conversation by urging others facing similar issues to seek assistance.
“I’m so blessed to have friends I can call family, that I didn’t have to go through it alone and it’s OK to ask for help,” she affirmed.
India will now face South Africa in the Women’s World Cup final on Sunday, November 2.