MUMBAI, Dec 16: Hosts India will aim to do some serious course correction in their bowling department in their bid to stay alive in a do-or-die fourth Women’s T20 International against Australia on Saturday.
Trailing 1-2, India will need to eke out a win to stay alive in the five-match series, which is the most important one ahead of the T20 World Cup starting February 3 in South Africa.
When Ramesh Powar was head coach, he also took take care of the bowling department but since his departure, India have been without the services of a full-time bowling coach.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur also admitted after the third WT20I that her side is missing a designated bowling coach. Add to that a relatively inexperienced fast bowling attack, India have a problems aplenty to address.
Indian bowlers have conceded scores in excess of 170 in all three games. While they couldn’t defend 172 in the opening match, they conceded 187 in the second game and 172 in the third.
Meghna Singh hasn’t measured up well and Renuka Singh, who is spearheading the seam attack, also needs helpful conditions to make a mark.
While the bowling has not been up to scratch, fielding coach Subhadeep Ghosh also has his task cut out as the catching and ground fielding has left a lot to be desired.
India also have a lot of work to do in the batting department.
Rotation of strike has been a huge issue. In Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh and skipper Harmanpreet, India have three good power hitters while Smriti Mandhana can time the ball well, but they have not been rotating strike and the skipper pointed that out after defeat in last game.
While the boundary count has increased, the Indian batters are consuming way too many dot balls every match.
The focus will also be on Jemimah Rodrigues, who has managed scores of 0, 4 and 16 in the three games. The middle order batter, who was one of the pillars of the Indian team that went all the way to the finals of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, needs to the find the runs.
Australia, on the other hand, will be eager to seal the series with a game to spare.
While Alyssa Healy the skipper has been doing a good job, the wicketkeeper bater would want to change her starts into big scores and contribute more with the bat.
Opener Beth Mooney has been in scintillating form and is the leading run-getter in series. Mooney would be eager to continue in the same vein.
After the Super over loss to India, Australian bowlers, led by 19-year-old pacer Darcie Brown came back well to guide their side to a win.
Squads:
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh Thakur, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Devika Vaidya, S Meghana, Richa Ghosh and Harleen Deol.
Australia: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt and Annabel Sutherland.
Match starts 7 PM IST. (PTI)
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