A Unique Test for Indian Women Cricketers in Australia

The team has made some able replacements for the upcoming matches. Uma Chetry, Richa Ghosh, Harleen Deol, Titas Sadhu, and Minnu Mani are all set to join the squad. It is going to be a challenging task to introduce so many new players while keeping the team's composure, especially in Australia where India is yet to win an ODI series. However, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has taken on the responsibility and is ready to lead the team through these changes.

Apart from bragging rights, there is another angle to this bilateral series. Australia currently lead the ICC Women’s ODI Championship table with 28 points, ahead of jointly-placed England on net run rate. India — third with 25 points — have the chance of going past both teams since they have nine games left to play, six of which are against West Indies and Ireland. That means Australia are under the pump – they have to beat India 3-0 and win the series against New Zealand later this month if they want to win the championship for a third consecutive time. There is much to play for, more possibly for India given that they host the World Cup next year. And they need Verma back well before that.

Kaur has extended her support to Verma, backing her to make a successful comeback soon. “She is a very important player for us and has done exceptionally well for the country. We are looking forward to seeing her get back into her zone and perform well for the team,” she said ahead of the series opener in Brisbane on Thursday.

That said, there couldn’t be a better opportunity to test the hopefuls. “All games are important, and we will try different combinations to identify players who are performing well. We aim to give opportunities to the upcoming players and see whoever is best, keeping the World Cup in mind. We will focus on selecting players who can excel in home conditions when we play the World Cup,” she said.

India carry some momentum, given that they have just won the home series against New Zealand 2-1. While Australia are expected to test them, there is no denying that this is the format India are traditionally best at. “We all enjoy playing ODIs more than any other format. It’s a format we always look forward to. With the World Cup in India coming up, playing against Australia, who play excellent cricket wherever they go, is a great platform for us to showcase our skills,” said Kaur. “Every time we play, our goal is to win, and this series is no exception. It’s good to see that our team has been doing well in ODIs, and we want to maintain that momentum.”