Lord’s has not been a happy hunting ground for Indian cricket over the past week, as both the men’s and women’s teams suffered defeats against England. While the men endured a heartbreaking 22-run loss in the third Test of the five-match series, the Indian women’s team fell to a comprehensive eight-wicket defeat in a rain-curtailed ODI clash.
Speaking after the match, India Women’s skipper Harmanpreet Kaur credited England’s bowlers and admitted that her side didn’t bat well. However, she signed off by calling it “an odd day,” adding that the team had been playing a good brand of cricket throughout the tour. Her words may offer a glimmer of hope for Indian fans, as the visitors had earlier clinched a historic 3–2 T20I series win and followed it up with a dominant performance in the ODI series opener.
This tour is a key step in India’s preparation for the upcoming ICC Women’s Cricket ODI World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka in a few months. And as Harmanpreet mentioned, the defeat brought with it many lessons.
Firstly, after being asked to bat, India struggled. The overcast conditions made batting difficult, and the pitch seemed a bit slow with noticeable grip for the spinners. The Indian batters failed to find timing and rhythm, allowing England’s spin trio — Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, and Linsey Smith — to dominate. They took six wickets between them, dismissing key batters like Smriti Mandhana (42), Harleen Deol (16), Harmanpreet Kaur (7), Jemimah Rodrigues (3), and Richa Ghosh (2).
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Looking ahead to the World Cup in subcontinental conditions, where pitches traditionally favour the spinners, this match exposed a vulnerability in India’s batting against spin in the middle overs — an area they must urgently address.
Another key point, as Harmanpreet noted, was India’s failure to take early wickets. England’s openers Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones stitched together a solid opening stand that set the tone for the 143-run chase. In the first ODI, debutant Kranti Gaud had dismissed both openers early, putting England under pressure. Despite the absence of senior bowlers like Renuka Thakur and Pooja Vastrakar, the first match showed that India’s current bowling group has the potential — what they need now is consistency.
Interestingly, there’s a familiar pattern emerging. This defeat bore a resemblance to the five-run loss in the third T20I at The Oval. In both matches, India had the opportunity to seal the series but allowed England a way back. This points to a lack of ruthlessness in key moments — something that Australia have mastered in women’s cricket and a trait India must aspire to develop.
India bounced back brilliantly in the fourth T20I to clinch the series, and now, fans will be hoping for a similar comeback in the series decider on 22 July in Chester-le-Street.
Also Read: ENG-W vs IND-W, 2nd ODI: England Women level ODI Series with dominant win at Lord’s