With the Women’s World Cup just over two months away, the upcoming ODI series against England holds immense significance for Harmanpreet Kaur and her team, providing a final platform to fine-tune combinations and strategies ahead of the marquee event at home. Fresh from a confidence-boosting T20I series win, the Indian team is looking to translate momentum into the 50-over format while addressing key selection puzzles that could define their World Cup campaign.
India will play three ODIs against England, followed by three matches against Australia in September, which are the only games left before the World Cup, leaving this series as a crucial window for experimentation and consolidation. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur describes the situation as a “good headache” with multiple players performing well, allowing the management to pick the strongest team with clarity and flexibility.
Pratika Rawal and Top-Order Decisions
Pratika Rawal, who was not part of the T20I squad, is set to return to the ODI XI, resuming her partnership with Smriti Mandhana at the top of the order. The duo has been in sublime form, scoring 968 runs in 11 innings at an average of 88, making them one of India’s most prolific opening pairs in women’s ODIs. With Shafali Verma also in the mix following a strong T20I series, the competition for the opening slots is fierce but healthy, as head coach Amol Muzumdar has emphasised.
Pratika has spent over a week in England to acclimatise to conditions, practising on astro-turf pitches back in India to prepare for the bounce and pace of English wickets. She has worked closely with Harmanpreet, Smriti Mandhana, and coach Amol Muzumdar to refine her plans against England’s pace attack, focusing on identifying scoring areas and countering the extra bounce during her practice sessions.
Spin Depth and Bowling Plans
Another positive for India is the form of the spin attack. Harmanpreet praised left-arm spinners Sree Charani and Radha Yadav for their performances, with Charani rising swiftly through the ranks and Radha showing her value with her bowling and fielding after being recalled in place of the injured Shuchi Upadhyay. Harmanpreet hinted that the team may continue with a four-pronged spin attack that was effective during the T20Is, maintaining a strong spin core for the England ODIs.
In the pace department, Amanjot Kaur has impressed, while a possible choice between Arundhati Reddy and Kranti Goud for the second seamer’s role could shape the final XI for these matches. The series also provides an opportunity for players like Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Tejal Hasabnis to cement their places, with the management aiming for consistency and clarity before the World Cup squad is finalised.
Harmanpreet noted that the current environment is positive, with all players understanding their roles clearly, something the team lacked previously. She acknowledged the performances of Pratika, Shafali, and Harleen, appreciating the depth in the squad and the sense of security it provides in building a balanced and competitive XI for the World Cup.
The upcoming series against England, therefore, goes beyond the immediate results, offering India a testing ground to finalise tactics, test player adaptability in overseas conditions, and reinforce the strengths they will need as they aim for a successful World Cup campaign on home soil.
India’s ODI Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (WK), Yastika Bhatia (WK), Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Goud, Sayali Satghare, Radha Yadav.
