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Women’s ODI World Cup: Continuity the buzzword for India
Indian selectors are set to announce the squad for the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, likely retaining a strong core led by Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana.
New Delhi: There will be little room for surprises as Indian selectors get together to unveil the squad for the upcoming ICC Women’s ODI World Cup.
With confidence from a memorable ODI away series win in England and plenty of positives to take from the India A squad against Australia A, the core group is likely to be retained. A rejuvenated captain Harmanpreet Kaur will once again be at the helm of a side brimming with batting depth but still searching for some bite with the ball.
Harmanpreet’s leadership is expected to be complemented by vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, who will be featuring in her third World Cup in this format. The left-handed opener, in home conditions where she averages 43.51, remains India’s best bet to blunt opposition attacks early.
Alongside her, 24-year-old Pratika Rawal has quickly become the team’s breakout star. The Delhi batter who only made her debut in December last year has already illustrated her ability to clear the field without slogging and a rather technically sound approach.
The intrigue, though, surrounds Shafali Verma. Once India’s storm at the top of the order, the 21-year-old found herself at the fringes after a lean patch. She managed to return to the fold with stunning performances in the domestic circuit but coach Amol Muzumdar also made it clear during the England series that while Shafali will be part of the core group, their priority will be Rawal. It’s up to the selectors to weigh her ability to take down attacks on her day against her usual inconsistency.
The supporting cast is both familiar and reliable – Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol and wicketkeeper-batters Richa Ghosh and Yastika Bhatia. Bhatia may not have featured in the ODIs against England but had a memorable outing against Australia A, finishing as the leading run-scorer for India with 167 runs in three matches.
Deepti Sharma, India’s experienced professional, has also upped her batsmanship and will be a solid aide to the batting line-up. Along with Deepti, Amanjot Kaur’s utility with both bat and ball offers a balance that India were seeking, especially in the pace department.
Sneh Rana’s comeback since the Women’s Premier League last year has only seen an upward climb. India look well stocked in all-round versatility.
The batting offers options aplenty but bowling remains the nagging worry. Renuka Singh Thakur’s fitness is the single-biggest question mark. The seamer’s ability to swing the new ball has been India’s biggest weapon in recent years, and without her, the attack has looked slightly short on menace.
Should she slot back in, the seam group of Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud and Sayali Satghare will look far more assured.
Spin, on the other hand, is India’s comfort blanket. On turning pitches at home, Deepti, Rana are seasoned campaigners at tying down batters. Leg-spinner N Shree Charani and left-arm spinner (and superhuman fielder) Radha Yadav, who has also been on a bit of a comeback trail of her own, can bolster a fearsome spin attack.
Yadav came in as a replacement to injured Shuchi Upadhyay and ticked quite a few boxes against England. She took it a notch higher with both the bat and the ball as she led India A against Australia A.
The selectors’ job now is more about fine tuning. The batting core appears locked in; the only question being whether the management is willing to roll the dice on Shafali, even as back-up.
The pace bowling largely hinges on Renuka’s recovery. But in home conditions, with Mandhana, Rawal, Jemimah and Deepti in their prime and potentially some X-factor picks in Ghosh, Kranti and Amanjot, India have a chance to mount a title challenge like never before.
