Reigning world champions India will head into the first women’s ODI against Australia with confidence after clinching a memorable 2-1 T20I series win Down Under. The three-match ODI series begins in Brisbane on Tuesday, with the visitors carrying clear psychological momentum.
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India had also defeated Australia in the ODI World Cup semifinal last year in Navi Mumbai, and the hosts will be eager to settle scores on home soil.
The series carries added significance as Australian captain Alyssa Healy prepares for her final ODI assignment. The veteran wicketkeeper-batter, one of Australia’s modern greats, will retire from the format after the one-off Test against India starting March 6 in Perth.
Healy returns to lead the side after missing the T20I series, which India sealed with a 17-run win in the decider in Adelaide. Australia’s first bilateral series defeat since 2017. Star leg-spinner Alana King also rejoins the ODI and Test squads after sitting out the T20Is.
India looks to build on momentum
India have made a few changes to their ODI squad. Kashvee Gautam, Harleen Deol and Pratika Rawal come in for Arundhati Reddy, Bharti Fulmali and Shreyanka Patil. Rawal was added late after recovering from an ankle injury.
Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana remains central to India’s batting plans, having struck a match-winning 82 in the third T20I.
“Beating Australia in Australia is something really special. We now move to the ODI series. We are in a phase where we want to dominate world cricket. It’s about being consistent and staying at the top,” Mandhana said after the T20I triumph.
Jemimah Rodrigues will be another key figure. She scored a memorable 127 in India’s ODI World Cup win over Australia and recently made 59 in the T20I decider, sharing a 121-run stand with Mandhana.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur will look to make a stronger impact with the bat after modest returns in the T20Is.
In the bowling department, Renuka Thakur and Sree Charani enter the ODI series with confidence after consistent performances in the shortest format. Veteran all-rounder Deepti Sharma will aim to rediscover her rhythm after a relatively quiet T20I series.
Australia’s star power
Despite the recent setback, Australia remain a formidable force in white-ball cricket. Alongside Healy and King, the hosts boast match-winners such as Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath.
The remaining ODIs will be played in Hobart on February 27 and March 1. The multi-format trophy will be decided on a points system, two points for each T20I and ODI win, and four points for a Test victory. India currently lead 4-2 after their T20I series success.
The first ODI begins at 9:20 am IST.
