The Women in Blue arrived in Chandigarh last week with high hopes, fresh off a historic series win in England. However, their plans to subdue the formidable Australian team in the first ODI didn’t quite pan out in the serene, well-planned city.
Despite posting a competitive total of 281 for seven, it proved to be an easy chase for the dominant Australians, akin to a leisurely stroll through a golf course. This marked India’s eighth consecutive ODI defeat against their rivals.
Now, Harmanpreet Kaur’s squad faces a critical challenge in the second of the three-match series at the new PCA Stadium on Wednesday. They are undoubtedly desperate to reverse their fortunes and will need to elevate their game significantly.
In the previous match, India seemed poised to cross the 300-run mark for the first time against Australia, with their top three batters all scoring half-centuries. However, the inability of any one of them to convert their fifty into a substantial, game-changing century ultimately cost the team. Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, and Harleen Deol will certainly be reflecting on their dismissals.
With the inclusion of power-hitters like Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Richa Ghosh, India boasts a strong batting lineup capable of amassing big scores on pitches like this. As the Women’s World Cup opener against Sri Lanka approaches in just two weeks, every batter will be eager to find their rhythm and deliver impactful performances.
Beyond batting, India’s fielding will also need a sharp improvement, especially against an Australian side brimming with seasoned and talented batters. Skipper Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, and young stars Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland are all formidable opponents.
A prime example from the first ODI was Phoebe Litchfield, who was dropped early in her innings, in just the second over, before she had even scored. She went on to punish India, smashing 88 runs off just 80 balls. Neither she nor Mooney or Sutherland, who both remained unbeaten with half-centuries, faced significant challenges from the Indian bowlers.
India’s tactical decision to field four frontline spinners and only one seamer proved ineffective in the first match. It will be intriguing to see if Renuka Singh, the swing bowler returning from injury, makes an appearance in this crucial game. Her last international outing for India was back in December.
The teams (from):
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare, Radha Yadav, Renuka Singh, M. Shree Charani, Sneh Rana, and Uma Chetry.
Australia: Alyssa Healy (Captain), Tahlia McGrath, Nicole Faltum, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Charli Knott, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, and Georgia Wareham.
The match is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. IST.