Women's ODI tri-series: India restart preparation for World Cup with questions on bowling make-up

Colombo, April 26 (IANS) Amidst the frenzy around IPL 2025 and who would be the gainers and losers from a long-term national set-up perspective, the India women’s cricket team will be restarting its preparation for this year’s World cup when they kick start their ODI tri-series campaign against hosts’ Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.

The tri-series also features South Africa as the third team, and its timing couldn’t have been better for all three teams. The Women’s ODI World Cup is less than six months away, and having the tri-series at this time is the perfect platform for all three sides to zero in on their players who can make them winners of the most important silverware in women’s 50 over cricket.

For India, apart from aiming to win the tri-series, they will be seeking answers to questions aplenty, especially on the bowling side of things. After their failure to reach the semi-finals of last year’s T20 World Cup, all eyes will be fixed on whether India can win the ODI World Cup, more so on their home soil.

Since the last ODI World Cup in 2022, India have used an astonishing 33 players in 24 ODI games. Reigning champions Australia, in comparison, have used only 17 players in the same time period. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side is back in action after WPL 2025 and a six-match winning streak in ODIs, though it came against non-World Cup qualifying nations like Ireland and West Indies.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh lend solidity to the batting line-up. Shafali Verma, despite scoring a truckload of runs in domestic games and WPL, hasn’t got the nod of the think-tank for a national comeback.

Instead, they have chosen to retain Pratika, who scored 444 runs in the six ODIs, the most runs made by any batter in the same number of games. The calm and composed Pratika, who recently played the multi-day senior women’s challenger games in Dehradun after not being picked in WPL 2025, has got a big chance to cement her place in the ODI team in a World Cup year.

From an Indian perspective, the bowling composition in the tri-series will be very interesting to observe. With Renuka Singh Thakur, Titas Sadhu and Pooja Vastrakar nursing injuries, Arundhati Reddy will have the responsibility to lead the pace bowling line-up. Arundhati had picked a stunning four-fer against Australia at Perth, but was surprisingly left out for the six home ODIs.

Now back in the mix after an indifferent WPL 2025, Arundhati has the opportunity to keep herself in the reckoning for a long time. An exciting proposition is the presence of seam-bowling all-rounders Kashvee Gautam and Amanjot Kaur. Kashvee was the most impressive uncapped player in WPL 2025 and picked 11 scalps, making her the joint-leading bowler among Indian players.

Her hard-hitting batting skills are also a plus point of India to get that finishing kick. Potentially competing for the same spot is Amanjot, who bagged Emerging Player of the Season in Mumbai Indians’ winning WPL 2025 by stepping in as the all-round contributor in Pooja’s absence.

In terms of spinners, India haven’t really settled on the combination. Though Deepti is the constant and another off-spin all-rounder Sneh Rana has earned a return, they haven’t still settled on their preferred left-arm spinners. In ODIs since 2023, India are the only side who have played more than three left-arm spinners, which tells how often they have experimented without success.

Ever since India moved on from Rajeshwari Gayakwad, they tried out five more left-arm spinners - Radha Yadav, Tanuja Kanwer, Saika Ishaque, Anusha Bareddy and Mannat Kashyap. But none of them have given the confidence and assurance that they are the ones who can serve the team for a long time.

For the tri-series, India have gone in with youngsters N Shree Charani and Shuchi Upadhyay. While Charani, hailing from Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh, came after impressing in Delhi Capitals (DC) colours in WPL 2025, Jabalpur-based Shuchi was the third-highest wicket-taker in Madhya Pradesh winning domestic women's one-day trophy in last season.

What will also be on India’s mind will be figuring out their sixth bowling option, considering that going with five bowlers in a 50-over game is fraught with risk. With Harmanpreet not bowling much due to fitness concerns, who steps in to be India’s sixth bowling option and take up the role of giving a timely breakthrough while managing to hold their own will be fascinating to see.

Sri Lanka have a strong spin-bowling line-up in a returning Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Kavisha Dilhari, and youngster Malki Madara. Harshita Samarawickrama and Vishmi Gunaratne will be primed to support their captain Chamari Athapaththu with the bat.

South Africa, meanwhile, are still adjusting to life under new head coach Mandla Mashimbyi. Without Marizanne Kapp and Anneke Bosch, the Laura Wolvaardt-led Proteas are seeking to adjust to sub-continental conditions with an eye to put their best foot forward in the World Cup.

Squads

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Kashvee Gautam, Sneh Rana, Arundhati Reddy, Tejal Hasabnis, N Shree Charani, Shuchi Upadhyay

Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshi Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani, Hasini Perera, Piumi Wathsala, Manudi Nanayakkara, Dewmi Vihanga, Inoka Ranaweera, Inoshi Fernando, Hansima Karunaratne, Rashmika Sewwandi, Malki Madara, Sugandika Kumari, Achini Kulasuriya

Match starts at 10am on FanCode (TV and digital)

--IANS

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