But once you get accepted and are trained under the best coaches, these things really help boost your confidence level.
All of us at some point have been coached by a male cricketer. I strongly believe that they get a lot of intensity into the training sessions. They are very hard taskmasters.
You can't just give up because you lose one game. India has always had the problem that when faced with the crunch matches, the team does not necessarily step up.
Whether I lead or not, as a top order batsman I feel people expect a lot from me. I also expect that I do get runs and justify my place in the side as a top order batsman.
Initially, I was into dance and learnt Bharatnatyam for eight years. I appeared on various TV shows.
With central contracts, you are very well looked after by the board. You do not have to be bothered about anything else. Just put in the hard work and do well for the country.
When we left Mumbai to play in the World Cup there were hardly any journalists to see us off. But when we returned to India on July 25 having made the final, there were close to a hundred journalists at 2.30 in the morning. It was totally new.
It is important for me, no matter whether I lead or not, that I continue my form even in the World Cup. It is important that you get runs because people look up to you, and the team also expects you to get runs being a senior member of the side.
When I made my debut I had a lot of seniors in the side, then players of my own age group, then juniors and now am rubbing shoulders with teenagers. It's actually the fourth generation of players and a rarity for a player to achieve it.
People were not even knowing that women's cricket existed. And from that phase to today where people would want to follow women's cricket, I think we have come a long way.
As a cricketer and captain, the lowest has the 2013 World Cup as it happened in India. Being the host team, we couldn't qualify for the Super Six and it was a big platform to do well and showcase women's cricket.
I began my journey as a captain when I was just 21-22 and leading the Indian side for so many years has helped me also grow as a person. My growth as a person pretty much has happened on the ground along with teammates.
I feel that when you are chasing 270 there's always going to be pressure but you need the opening pair to give us a start so that the batters can take from thereon.