Few cricketers possess the ability to change a match in a single over which made the sight of the West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin limping out of warm-ups before a crucial WPL playoff match much more heartbreaking.
Her subsequent absence since late March left a gaping hole in the Maroon Warriors’ lineup throughout the season as teammates and fans alike craved the return of her match-winning capabilities and vast experience on the field.
Now, months on from her rehabilitation, the “World Boss” looks in fine form in The Hundred franchise tournament in the United Kingdom for Manchester Originals, further adding to the excitement of her return to the regional side, especially ahead of next year’s Women’s T20 World Cup.
Speaking recently about her recovery journey, Dottin, who turned 34 this past June, expanded on her days of resilience, meticulous rehabilitation and determination to return stronger than ever.
What was initially a 12-week recovery period turned into a much more complex rehabilitation process, but the key breakthrough came when medical professionals dug deeper to find the root cause of her problem
“I had torn the patella tendon ligament. It was a slight tear there and happened in the WPL. It was a playoff to reach the semifinals, and I pulled up while we were warming up,” she recalled of that fateful day.
“My recovery took longer because we did other stuff to enhance the recovery. Firstly, we had to find out the main problem or the source of the injury. After we did that assessment, we started therapy.”.
In addition to the expected stress of treatment and recovery, watching from the sidelines proved to be its own form of torture for a player whose career has been defined by explosive performance and match-winning moments.
“Things are looking pretty good now and I’m a lot more confident in it than I was before,” she confirmed.
“On the sidelines, I felt miserable. I just wanted to play cricket. I know the importance of making sure that I’m fully recovered and prepared to be back on the field, but it was miserable and felt a bit uneasy.”
The emotional pain was heightened particularly during the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers in Pakistan, where the West Indies narrowly missed out on securing their spot in the global tournament in India later this year.
“I was heartbroken. I was having a conversation with Hayley, and I told her, “I don’t care if you guys win the qualifying group, I just want us to qualify. That was the main goal, so to see the end results was really heartbreaking.”
“I know everything happens for a reason. We need to reflect, work on our game and come back hungry and ready.”
Dottin also missed the team’s two subsequent white-ball tours, away to England and at home to South Africa.
Despite her frustration, she maintained her connection with the team and supported as a fan from the sidelines.
“I think the T20I series victory against South Africa was very important. Since we are not going to the World Cup this year, we should have fought some more to finish the year with a bang.”
“Yes, we came back to win the T20 series and that’s the format we are most known for because of our fearless cricket, but in the ODI series we could have done a lot better to finish the entire year, on a good note.”
While the tours had their ups and downs, Dottin acknowledged one positive from the experience, namely the emergence of young players Realeanna Grimmond and Jahzara Claxton, who came to the fore during the tough series away in England.
“I think that going to England was always going to be tough. Even if you don’t win the games, make sure that every time you finish playing, you have improved,” she urged.
“With Realeanna and Jahzara, it was good to see the youngsters leading from the front as well. I watched them both and I think they did well as debutants. It’s only up from here once they continue to put in the work.”
That sage advice came from a place of personal experience for the Bajan, as the injury that threatened to ruin her recent return to international cricket instead brought a more mature understanding of her body, her mental fortitude and a renewed appreciation for the game.
For Deandra Dottin, the long road back, even with its twists, turns and potholes, has been worth every step. Cricket fans across the region and the world will be watching and waiting for the moment she finally steps back onto the field, in maroon.
