Damn The Odds With Pratika Rawal At SP Jain Institute Of Management And Research
Pratika Rawal met students at SPJIMR, Mumbai for an interactive session powered by Lenovo x Intel
What does it take to choose an unconventional career path when you already have a strong academic backup?
India cricketer Pratika Rawal met students at S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research for a conversation about discipline, mindset, failure, technology in sport and making bold career decisions early in life. The session included three parts: a host interaction, a student Q&A and a strategy challenge judged by Pratika herself.
Here is what happened on campus.
Choosing Cricket Even With A Strong Academic Safety Net
Pratika Rawal who always had academics as a strong foundation growing up. She scored over 90 percent in school, but still chose the high-stakes life of a professional athlete.
She says, for her, the decision to pursue cricket seriously was not accidental. It was shaped by early exposure to the sport at home.
Her father played cricket and later became an umpire. Watching players train in white jerseys near her home left a lasting impression on her as a child. Soon after, she asked her parents if she could try the sport herself.
“The only thing I remember is feeling something different when I held the bat, I felt superior,” she said, recalling how that moment shaped her journey.
Discovering Confidence Through The Game
Pratika told students that batting quickly became more than just a sport for her.
Holding the bat gave her a sense of confidence and identity very early on. It made her feel like she could take charge of her own journey.
While her mother encouraged her to stay focused on academics, that balance between studies and sport eventually became one of her biggest strengths.
She reminded students that it is possible to manage multiple priorities at once, even when people believe otherwise.
“People do say that you can’t manage a lot of things, but Damn those Odds,” she told the students.
Why Being “Stubborn” Became Her Biggest Strength
The host asked what is her USP as a player, Pratika described her biggest strength in one word: stubbornness.
She explained that being a little stubborn and a little fearless is often necessary to survive the pressures of professional sport.
Wearing the India jersey, she said, brings a sense of responsibility and empowerment that makes every challenge worthwhile.
“You have to be a little crazy, a little stubborn, in order to make that India team,” she explained to the students.
Building A Strong Mindset Off The Field First
Pratika also spoke about the importance of personality development alongside technical training.
She shared that as a child she was short-tempered, but her coach helped her work on controlling reactions and building emotional balance.
Over time, she realised that behaviour off the field directly affects performance on the field.
Small habits at home, she said, played a big role in shaping her mindset as an athlete.
She also follows a personal match ritual inspired by her coach, keeping her collar up regardless of whether she scores zero or a hundred, as a reminder to stay confident in every situation.
Why Failure Is An Important Part Of Growth
During the student Q&A with the students, one question focused on dealing with failure in an age where success often looks effortless online. Pratika responded by saying failure teaches lessons that success cannot.
“If I’m scoring well in every match, I will never know where I’m getting out,” she explained.
Understanding mistakes helps players improve faster and stay grounded in their progress.
Students Designed Match Strategies Using AI Tools
The final round turned the interaction into a strategy challenge.
Students were divided into teams and asked to create match-winning pitch decks for Pratika using Lenovo’s AI PCs, powered by the Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 processors.
An AI PC assists, automates and enhances productivity, creation, learning and research experiences, making complex decision-making faster and more intuitive. That’s the power of Lenovo with Intel Inside®.
One team analysed pitch conditions and opposition performance data to recommend batting first on dry surfaces where scoring above 280 increases the probability of winning significantly.
Another team proposed a flexible match strategy depending on game conditions, suggesting adjustments to batting order and powerplay planning using AI-supported simulations.
Students also used tools like Copilot and Google Gemini to create one-page visual strategy decks that Pratika could hypothetically take to her coach.
Pratika appreciated both approaches but shared that she personally prefers aggressive strategies early in the game, a mindset that reflects her approach to high-pressure match situations.
This session at S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research showed how conversations around sport, strategy and technology are increasingly coming together inside management classrooms today.
As students prepare to step into competitive professional environments of their own, many walked away with practical lessons from Pratika Rawal’s journey of choosing passion and consistently learning how to Damn The Odds.
In collaboration with Lenovo
