SERIES PREVIEW
Follow UsDrumrolls, please. India’s Women cricket team is set to begin a home season, which will feature England followed by Australia in a multi-format series. Since July, Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. has featured in only three T20Is in the 2023 Asian Games, where the team’s first fixture was washed out.
The team finally returns to the park for full-fledged tours from two top-ranked teams. These tours will also mark the return of women’s Test cricket in India after nine years as both England and Australia will play a one-off Test. The white-ball fixtures will largely be focused on building a team for the Women’s T20 World Cup in September-October next year - ironing out the chinks among senior players and trying a fresh batch of players as the squad suggests.
The team also has a new coach, Amol Muzumdar. While he has stressed on maintaining fitness and fielding standards in his first press conference in the role, we look at other aspects to look forward to in the first leg of this home season - the three-match T20I series against England.
New coach, new beginnings
The position of Women's cricket team's head coach had been vacant for the last 12 months in India since Ramesh Powar was removed from the post as a part of BCCI’s “restructuring module”. The team was managed by interim coaches, with Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Nooshin Al Khadeer taking the role in an interim capacity.
After months of speculation, the Indian set up eyes stability with Amol Muzumdar, who was announced as the successor of Powar. Muzumdar’s stint begins at his home ground, the Wankhede Stadium. "I have played all my cricket since childhood here [at the Wankhede]. Great to start the series here at Wankhede. [We are] familiar with the conditions but cannot be complacent as every game has its own challenges," he said on the eve of the first T20I.
To his credit, Muzumdar comes with plenty of experience as a coach. After finishing his 21-year-long domestic career, Muzumdar dipped his toes in coaching. He has been involved with Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and the Mumbai side in domestic cricket. The 49-year-old also served as South Africa’s batting coach for their 2019 tour of India, where the likes of Faf du Plessis acknowledged his contributions to their batting plans.
Muzumdar is also known to be a calm coach who promotes a player’s natural style of play. Even in the pre-series press conference, he dialled down on the likes of Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues playing "fearless cricket". His equation with the women’s team, which has experienced trouble between senior players and the coach in the past, will also be key in how the side shapes up for the T20 World Cup next year. However, it is a criterion that can only be judged in the long run.
Can Shafali get back among runs?
Shafali Verma’s form will be one of the biggest takeaways for India from this home season and this series in particular. The explosive opener is undergoing her worst year as a T20I batter, averaging 20.5, the lowest for her in a calendar year thus far. A more concerning statistic is that her strike rate is only 112.5.
Known for her aggressive intent ever since her debut in 2019, Shafali has been directly responsible for providing India with quick starts. Consequently, India have middling numbers for their first wicket partnership this year - average 22.7, strike rate 106.1.
Shafali’s record against bigger teams, especially England and Australia, paints another worrisome picture.
Against England, she averages only 14.8 in 10 innings. Katherine Sciver-Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone have subverted Shafali, dismissing her twice each for under 40 runs. Sciver-Brunt has retired, which gives Shafali some leeway, but she still has to counter Ecclestone.
Thus, it becomes a stiff challenge for Shafali to overcome her demons and get back among runs.
Smriti’s low returns against spin?
Moving from Shafali’s hard-hitting to Smriti Mandhana’s grace, the left-hander has had a horrid run against spin in 2023. Mandhana averages only 16.3 against spin this year at a strike rate of 110.7, the lowest for her in a calendar year since 2016. In comparison, Mandhana averages 54.3 against pace this year.
Mandhana’s travails against spin began in the 2023 Women’s Premier League. She was dismissed by spin in seven out of eight innings. Off-spin has turned out to be the perfect antidote for this southpaw, accounting for eight of her 14 dismissals against spin in 20 innings.
Set to return to the field after three months, getting back to dominating spin would be at the top of Mandhana’s to-do tasks in the series. Overall, she has better numbers against spin than against pace in her T20I career.
To her relief, England’s only specialist off-spinner, Charlie Dean, is doubtful for the first T20I. Also, Mandhana holds an excellent record against England’s premier spinner, Sophie Ecclestone. Thus, England may target Mandhana with Alice Capsey, the spin-bowling all-rounder who bowls off-spin.
A raw but exciting bowling attack
India are set to test a new-look bowling attack heading into this season. Renuka Singh is back from injury since suffering a stress fracture, having last played professional cricket in the 2023 WPL season. She will have Pooja Vastrakar to partner with, who has played 13 out of India's 16 T20Is this year. But in a new and exciting inclusion, Titas Sadhu is likely to be seen as one of the regulars in India’s XI, given all three T20Is will be played at the Wankhede Stadium, which will help her hit-the-deck style of bowling.
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The spin attack is also refurbished. Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Sneh Rana and Radha Yadav are replaced by the WPL breakout stars, Shreyanka Patil and Saika Ishaque, who earn their maiden call-ups. Minnu Mani, having made her T20I debut this year, is also a part of the squad. The trio has experience of only four T20Is between them.
India’s six-match T20I season could also see a shootout between Shreyanka and Mani. Both are off-spinners, with spin-bowling off-spinner Deepti Sharma in the side as well.
