By Our Special Correspondent
Ahead of the India-Australia clash during the 2022 ODI World Cup, everything is building on how if there is one team to stop the Australian juggernaut, it will be the Women in Blue.
Although the Australians proved unstoppable and eventually clinched another World Cup, the argument has its merits.
After all, India had ended their record-breaking winning streak a few months earlier. They are the only team to beat Australia in the previous two T20 World Cups.
With India and Australia set to make their Commonwealth Games debut on Friday, the focus is on the same argument once again.
Australia is out of the World Cup final, won the tri-series in Ireland and are coming into the Birmingham Games with a full squad. On the other hand, India was hampered by Covid even before leaving for England.
While Sabbineni Meghna will join the team ahead of the opening game, she may not be in the starting XI. Pooja Vastrakar, who is still in India, will be sorely missed, especially in the opening clash against Australia.
The Madhya Pradesh all-rounder has emerged as a vital cog in the Indian team since his comeback last year. In Sri Lanka, she will lead an inexperienced pace attack while providing cushion as a lower-order hitter in the batting.
In her absence, India can afford an all-spin attack. As Meghna Singh is yet to make her T20I debut, Renuka Singh Thakur could be the only seamer in the XI. In a way, it will be a blessing in disguise if the likes of Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Radha Yadav, Deepti Sharma and Sneha Rana step up and deliver. Indian cricketer Veda Krishnamurthy believes that it can be done.
"The spin bowling department is very experienced. They always fall back on Deepti and Rajeshwari (Gayakwad) to control the game. The attack is really strong with Deepti and Rajeshwari bowling together," said Veda in an interaction facilitated by Soni. Sports Network recently.
But it also depends on the conditions on offer. A day before the game, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur said that the pitch was covered to avoid any rain.
"The nets are very similar here. It looks good for batting and the weather and the grass on the wicket will also give some help to the bowlers. I think there will be something for both the batsmen and the bowlers," Harmanpreet said on Thursday.
With Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet and Jemima Rodrigues occupying the top five, where is the focus on the Indian batting, which looks young and dynamic on paper?
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