By Trisha Ghosal in Mullanpur
When the whole nation is busy in debating and awaiting India taking on Pakistan, in the north of India, a very important series is about to commence. India women are taking on the world champions Australia women for a three-match ODI series, a perfect foreword to the World Cup 2025 book.
Deep in Chandigarh, Mullanpur Cricket Stadium sits in the middle of nowhere. Getting back to the hotel after a late finish here is no easy ride. In many ways, that echoes India’s task in this series: finding a way to get past Australia, the most formidable side in the women’s game.
And the face of that challenge is Renuka Singh Thakur. Back from a stress fracture that kept her out since December 2024, the pacer’s in-swing has often unsettled the world’s best batters. Since the 2022 ODI World Cup, she has picked up 32 wickets in 17 innings, the third-best return among new-ball specialists worldwide. For India, her return is about more than wickets. It is about leadership, control, and belief for a relatively inexperienced pace unit.
For captain Harmanpreet Kaur, this contest carries a double significance. Playing her 150th ODI, only the third Indian after Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami to reach the milestone, and doing so in her home state makes it a landmark occasion. But sentiment aside, India’s reality is stark. They have not beaten Australia in an ODI since September 2021.
“No doubt, they [Australia] have been very dominating. But we are also at a stage where, as a captain, we have the belief we can beat them on any day,” Harmanpreet said on the eve of the game. “The processes in the last one-and-a-half years have been good, and we have improved quite a lot. The England series showed us that.”
Australia, meanwhile, have their own returning talisman. Skipper Alyssa Healy is back after six months out and is keen to frame the series as an important build-up to the World Cup. “It’s about getting used to the conditions and testing ourselves against a really strong side. India are probably red-hot favourites in their own conditions, but I feel the 15 players we’ve got are really well placed to contribute in this series,” she said.
India, with nine wins in their last eleven ODIs, arrive with momentum. Australia, with only three ODIs played all year, arrive with pedigree. As the hot Mullanpur afternoon dips into a cooler, quieter night, the spotlight sharpens on three big questions. Can Renuka beat Healy with her inswinger? Can Harman entertain the home crowd with a few big hits? Or will it be yet another day out for the Aussies?
That, ladies and gentlemen, is the story waiting to be written tonight.
Probable XIs
India: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, N Sree Charani, Sneh Rana, Kranti Goud, Renuka Singh Thakur
Australia: Phoebe Litchfield, Alyssa Healy (c & wk), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt
Key Battles to Watch
- Renuka Singh Thakur vs Alyssa Healy: Swing versus aggression. Renuka’s inswingers at the top could test Healy’s comeback timing.
- Smriti Mandhana vs Megan Schutt: One of the most watched rivalries in women’s cricket. Mandhana’s free-flowing drives against Schutt’s control and variations will set the tone.
- Ellyse Perry vs Deepti Sharma: Experience versus guile in the middle overs. Perry’s stability could be checked by Deepti’s ability to choke runs and force errors.
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