Harmanpreet Kaur has put India's failure to win crunch games in big tournaments - specifically at this year's Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup - down to the "mindset" of individual players.
"I think it's only the mindset because, if you see, our team has very good players," Harmanpreet said ahead of the T20I series against West Indies, which starts on Sunday. "All of them have done really well whenever they got the opportunity. I think in the big games it's only about the mindset and what you're feeling individually. Because, as a player, as a team, you can only talk about the things you have done well. At the end of the day, it's only you who is dealing [with the situation and pressure] in the middle and it's only about you, how you are going to take these things forward.
"We discuss whatever is required to win but, at the end of the day, it's the individual performer's mindset, about how you are going to win the game for the team."
While India have won 13 out of the 20 T20Is they have played this year, they have lost all-important games. They had an unbeaten run in the Asia Cup in July till they lost big to Sri Lanka in the final. Then they missed out on making the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup after losing a must-win match against Australia in the group stage. In the Asia Cup final, Smriti Mandhana top scored for India when the rest of the batters failed. Harmanpreet's solo effort with the bat went in vain against Australia.
India are now coming into the T20Is against West Indies on the back of a 3-0 loss in the ODI series in Australia.
"It's really tough when you're going through this patch," she said. "At the same time, we can only talk about the good things we have done in the past. I think having team-bonding sessions are very important. So, when we were coming back from Australia, we had good talks on the flight because that was only time we could talk and think about how we can start this series. Yesterday was a good off-day and today we had a good meeting where we discussed how we have to go about in this particular series."
The scheduling hasn't helped. These T20Is in Navi Mumbai take place right after the ODIs in Perth and Brisbane - the last was on December 11 - and while Harmanpreet said it was part of playing at the highest level, she admitted it wasn't easy.
"To be honest, it is difficult because you know we're coming from Australia. After the game, only within four-five hours we left the country and came back to India," she said. "But as professionals, these things happen and we just want to stay motivated. Yesterday was an off-day so we tried to rest well and we are looking forward to the game tomorrow.
"Think when you have very less time, it's very difficult to come back and reflect on the things which you have done in the past. At the same time, we just have to keep talking about the positives. The young girls who have come into the team have done really well in domestic and they are also positive. I think staying together is something which is very important, which we have been doing."
Harmanpreet was tight-lipped when asked about the omissions from the squad for the series.
India have rung in several changes to the T20I side, but the exclusion of Arundhati Reddy and Shafali Verma have been major talking points, particularly considering Reddy was India's joint-highest wicket-taker at the T20 World Cup and Shafali has the second-most runs in T20Is for India this year.
"I would say to ask the right person, because I can only talk about the team that's here, and what things we can do to win this series," Harmanpreet said. "I think regarding Shafali or any other player, [it's] better to ask the right persons."