As the Women’s World Cup progresses, India faces a challenging series of fixtures, starting with a match against Australia. Despite early wins, the team has struggled to maintain consistent performance. Star players like Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Jemimah Rodrigues have not delivered as expected, raising concerns about their batting lineup.
Top Order Struggles
India’s batting order has faltered significantly. Their top five averages just 23.13, the lowest among potential semifinalists including England, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. Notably, India is the only team thus far without a single score of 50 or more from their top five players.
Player Performance Insights
- Smriti Mandhana: Struggled against South Africa, with scores of 8, 23, and 23 in her last three innings.
- Jemimah Rodrigues: Scored 32 against Pakistan but was dismissed by left-arm spinners in subsequent matches.
- Harmanpreet Kaur: Inconsistent performance, with a total of 9 runs off 23 balls against South Africa.
Mandhana’s earlier training sessions had shown promise, demonstrating her capacity to handle swing bowling effectively. However, in the World Cup, she has yet to replicate that form on the field. Rodrigues, who found success at No. 5 earlier this year, has struggled with lbw dismissals in crucial matches.
The Need for Lower Order Resilience
India’s lower-order batters have successfully rallied the team from challenging positions in recent games. The lower-order batsmen’s ability to perform under pressure will be critical as India navigates through tough upcoming matches against Australia and England. The team will rely on their senior players to step up to avoid further setbacks.
Looking Ahead
India’s upcoming matches will be pivotal for their World Cup campaign. Maintaining team morale and enhancing batting performance will be crucial in their quest for the semifinals. The pressure is on the top-order batters, especially with Australia set to challenge them next.
