Hosts now have to tackle the women from Down Under in a one-day international series starting today post triumphs in one-off long-format battles with England and Australia
Indian women’s team skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and head coach Amol Muzumdar during a practice session at the Wankhede Stadium recently. Pic/PTI
Harmanpreet Kaur’s India may have created history by registering their first ever Test victory over Australia at the Wankhede Stadium last Sunday. But when it comes to white-ball cricket, Australia are more difficult to contend with. It is not for nothing that the Australians are the No. 1 side in Women’s ODIs and T20Is. For, the defending champions have won the Women’s Cricket World Cup seven times in 12 editions and the T20 world title six times out of eight.
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It will not be an easy proposition for Kaur & Co to walk past the Alyssa Healy-led Australian side in the three-match ODI series at the Wankhede Stadium beginning on Thursday. Out of the 50 Women’s ODIs between the two teams, Australia have won 40 and India, only 10. In bilateral series, Australia have won all the eight rubbers dating back to 1983-84. India have won only five matches and Australia 26.
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‘Focus on our strengths’
India head coach Amol Muzumdar, who guided Kaur & Co to historic wins in the one-off Tests against England and Australia by big margins, said on Wednesday: “Australia played consistently for a long period of time. That’s why they have won so many World Cups in both, the ODI and T20I formats. We need to focus on our strengths and think about how we will do well against one of the best sides in the world.”
The current Women’s ODI team are a mix of experience and youth and known to play fearless cricket led by the eighth-ranked batter in captain Kaur and her deputy, the fifth-ranked batter Smriti Mandhana. While the likes of Shafali Verma Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, and all-rounders Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar will provide solidity to the batting along with the captain and vice-captain, the spinners including left-armer Saika Ishaque and off-spinner Shreyanka Patil are likely to create dents in the famed Aussie batting.
Momentum with India
Muzumdar believes that the two Test wins will give the hosts the confidence going into the white-ball leg that comprises the three ODIs followed by the three T20Is. Muzumdar said: “We are looking forward to the ODI series. We will try to take forward the momentum gained from the two Test wins. All the players are looking forward to every opportunity.”
The larger picture for the Indian women is to build an ODI squad for the 2025 World Cup to be held in India. Muzumdar added: “I won’t shy away from saying that we will definitely have a look at the bigger picture. At the same time, the focus is on the current happenings. The message to the team is very clear—we will look to improve at every given opportunity and in every single way.”
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