IND-W vs AUS-W, 3rd ODI: Middle-order issues to address for India as Australia looks to finish ODI leg with a clean sweep

A team effort has seen Alyssa Healy’s side edge India in crunch situations, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, with different players stepping up with bat and ball across the two ODIs.

Phoebe Litchfield of Australia in action during the 2nd ODI match between India (Women) and Australia (Women) at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI/ The Hindu

India and Australia will clash in a final one-day international (ODI) at the Wankhede Stadium here on Tuesday before the Aussies’ multi-format tour of India moves to Navi Mumbai for the T20I leg. 

While Australia has an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, the final ODI will be a crucial one for two sides which are focusing on the future.

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A team effort has seen Alyssa Healy’s side edge India in crunch situations, with different players stepping up with bat and ball across the two ODIs. While an inconsequential fixture allows room to experiment, the Aussies will be looking to remain unbeaten. 

“We are pretty keen to win this last game of the series. We will be putting our best team out there and looking to go 3-0 in the series to lead into the T20s with some momentum,” Annabel Sutherland said on the eve of the fixture. 

India’s fielding and the batting form of the top order were the two priorities for the coaching staff during practice ahead of the match. The support staff spaced out fielding drills between net sessions, focusing on high catches and the reaction times of the fielders deployed in the slips, with Head coach Amol Muzumdar joining the slip cordon.

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The Harmanpreet Kaur-led outfit will need to lock roles for its batting order with an eye on the lower middle order. Sending Deepti Sharma at number six did not work in the second ODI.

Pooja Vastrakar, who scored a brisk 46-ball 62 at a strike rate of 134.78 was sent in at number eight with scoreboard pressure rising with each delivery. Allowing Pooja to come higher up the order might allow her the time needed to settle and give India a much-needed power hitting option in the death. 

While Sneh Rana took things easy in the nets following her concussion in the previous game, coach Muzumdar confirmed her availability for selection for the final fixture on Saturday. 

Australia bats deep and that has allowed Healy the room to make a measured return from injury. The focus will be on finding wickets in the middle overs, which the side has found hard to do in key passages of play. The left-arm spin of Jess Jonassen, who can also be a handy bat, could be an alternative to a slightly expensive Alana King. 

SQUADS: 

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Shreyanka Patil, Mannat Kashyap, Saika Ishaque, Renuka Singh, Titas Sadhu, Pooja Vastrakar, Sneh Rana, Harleen Deol

Australia: Alyssa Healy (c), Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Darcie Brown, Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt, Georgia Wareham

Match begins at 1:30pm