The Women in Blue are gearing up for a high-octane, three-match ODI series against Australia that is scheduled to be played from December 5 to December 11. The first two games will be hosted at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane, and the series will be wrapped up at the WACA Ground in Perth. It promises to be an exciting series, but more importantly, it’s a shot at redemption for the Indian team after a year of highs and lows which also includes a disappointing run at the World Cup. It’s an opportunity to turn things around.
The team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, has been under the spotlight and more so after their squad announcement. Meanwhile, the opposition will miss the services of their captain, Alyssa Healy, who is nursing an injury sustained during a match in the WBBL tournament. That potentially gives India a slight edge in the series, although Australia’s depth remains unshakable.
Management makes bold calls
Heading into the series, India have made significant changes to its squad. A notable one has been dropping Shafali Verma, which comes after a prolonged lean patch. The team will also miss the services of Shreyanka Patil and Dayalan Hemalatha. Their absence opens upopportunities for players such as Tejal Hasabnis and Minnu Mani to make their mark in the team.
Recent Form
Taking India’s recent form in consideration, the team’s last ODI series against New Zealand saw them win by a narrow 2-1 margin. That highlighted that there was still some work to be done against top–tier teams.
For India’s captain Harmanpreet, this series is more than just cricket. After India’s underwhelming and humiliating performance at the T20 World Cup earlier this year, her leadership has been under scrutiny. In order to solidify her position as the leader, Harmanpreet needs to put in some solid performances with the bat alongside strong tactical decisions to restore confidence in the team.
Will WBBL experience help India?
Even though the scales are tipped towards Australia heading into the series, the familiarity of Indian stars like Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues with Australian conditions, thanks to their recent WBBL stints, could be pivotal. Their experience will be of utmost importance against some of the Australian players, and they may have the insights needed to bridge the gap against one of the world’s strongest teams.
This series is all about a fresh start for the Women in Blue and, adding to the excitement, India recently unveiled their new ODI kit, with a tricolour gradient on the shoulders to symbolise hope and unity. The fresh look might inspire the team to script a turnaround story in one of the toughest cricketing conditions.