The Indian Women’s Team is getting better by every day and in every way. The recently ended series against South Africa is a clear example of it. As it started with an ODI series, the players outstaged the opponent and won by a 3-0 margin. They continued their dominating form in the only Test match in Chennai. They won the match with their excellence. But the T20 series ended in a draw as both teams won one match each and the other one was called off. There are some major takeaways from the recently ended T20 series as it has seen a lot of concerns.
The Concern to Choose the Third Spinner:
Shortly, the Indian Women’s team has a few crucial ICC events. So the management is looking to find the perfect team combination. After the T20 series, concern is rising over the third spinner’s spot in the team. Team India already has Deepti Sharma as their prime spinner. Radha Yadav’s exceptional performance may earn her the second spinner spot in the team.
But the real struggle will be to spot the third spinner in the team. There are two strong contenders, Shreyanka Patil and Asha Sobhana. In the recently ended T20 series against South Africa, Shreyanka played two matches and secured 2 wickets and Asha remained wicketless in her one game. Shreyanka’s one more advantage is his batting skill. Now, selecting the third spinner will be critical.
Fielding is a Matter to Think About:
Along with the batting a bowling strength, fielding is another crucial weapon for the teams. As there are some crucial assignments, team India needs to look after this thing. In the first T20I against South African Women, Team India’s fielding was disappointing. That cost the match.
The second T20 match was abandoned after South Africa batted in the first innings. In that match, India improved their fielding. After that, they have worked on it. Their fielding in the last T20 match was an example of it. They saved saved runs and secured crucial catches. This is a stage where they need to focus more.
Arundhuti Reddy’s Return in the Shortest format:
Team India got a huge boost before stepping into the upcoming big tournaments. All-rounder Arundhati Reddy has come back to the team. The batting and bowling got more depth. India had two seamers already in the form of Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar. Reddy return fulfilled this seamer’s place.
In the third match, her performance was excellent. She secured 1 crucial wicket by just giving 14 runs in three overs. Her economical bowling was one of the keys for India to level up the series. Reddy’s return to the team is a big boost before the upcoming events.
Batting Shuffle:
Jemimah Rodrigues previously held India’s No. 3 spot in T20Is. D. Hemalatha, making a return after two years, was elevated to No. 3 during India’s T20I series in Bangladesh following a successful Women’s IPL season. Despite a modest start with 14 runs off 17 balls in the first T20I against South Africa, Hemalatha was sidelined for the next two games due to Richa Ghosh’s concussion and the team’s need for S. Sajana’s power-hitting in the middle order. Sajana did get her chance to bat during the series.
India’s vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, described placing Hemalatha at No. 3 as a strategic decision, suggesting Rodrigues might continue at No. 5, where she showcased adaptability with an unbeaten 53 off 30 balls against South Africa. Looking ahead, Sajana could serve as the backup, either at No. 3 or as a finisher, utilizing her strong bottom-hand play and ability to attack spin. Both Hemalatha and Sajana also contribute with a few overs of off-spin, adding depth to the team’s resources.
Yastika Bhatia, initially at No. 3 in Bangladesh, scored 36 off 29 balls before injury ruled her out of the series. Her recovery status remains uncertain, potentially impacting her role as a backup keeper to Ghosh in the upcoming T20 World Cup, where Mandhana might be the only left-handed batter in the top six.
Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, and Instagram
