Indian women’s team skipper Harmanpreet Kaur opened up on team dynamics and her role as a leader in fostering a healthy environment. Kaur also stated that bonds among players can have an impact on the team’s performance on the pitch, thus it is critical to maintaining a pleasant and peaceful environment. The defending champions, India will begin their quest for a record-extending eighth Asia Cup title when they meet arch-rivals Pakistan at Dambulla on July 19, Friday.

I feel like there should be such an atmosphere in the team that everyone enjoys each other’s company, and can share their feelings with each other. And when the atmosphere is like that, the team’s performance becomes good as well, Harmanpreet told Star Sports.

So, my motive as a leader is that all of us feel comfortable with each other. And when you do not enjoy it, you feel like you have to go and play with players whom you are not comfortable with. But if you feel like you are going to play with your friends and make the team win, that feeling is different. So, we want an atmosphere where everyone is happy, and supporting each other and the results are good as well, the 35-year-old cricketer added.

So, I think as a leader, my motive is that everyone talks well to each other, enjoys each other’s company and whenever there are hard times, they support each other. So those things are very important for me as a leader, she concluded.