3 takeaways for India from the series against Bangladesh
The Indian Women's cricket team are currently on tour for a white-ball series against Bangladesh. Harmanpreet Kaur led the side to a T20I series win, clinching it 2-1 with victories in the first two matches before Bangladesh won the final T20I.
The series didn't see a lot of runs as it was played on rank turners that helped the bowlers more often than not. Minnu Mani and Anusha Bareddy made their debut appearances for the Women in Blue, impressing with their bowling performances in a series where runs were hard to come by.
Before the focus shifts to the three-match ODI series that will get underway on Sunday (16 July), we take a look at three takeaways for India Women's team from the recent T20I series:
#1 India got their selection wrong
Some of India's best players in the last 12 months didn't make the cut for the ongoing Bangladesh tour. Renuka Singh Thakur, one of the best bowlers in the world in the last year, missed out on a spot in the squad, as did the experienced Rajeshwari Gayakwad.
Richa Ghosh, one of India's best middle-order batters, probably only second to Harmanpreet Kaur, also missed out on a place in the white-ball squads. Shikha Pandey is another experienced player who didn't get in, despite her good form in the Women's Premier League. Same was the case with Sneh Rana.
Some of these selection calls might leave the followers of the game perplexed with no accountability from the selectors. At the end of the day, it's the team that tends to bear the brunt of these random calls.
#2 The form of the openers is a worry
The form of the Indian openers has been worrisome for a while now, to say the least. All the spotlight is on Shafali Verma, who has only scored 165 runs in her last 10 T20I innings, with an average of 16.5 and a highest score of only 33.
To make matters even more concerning, oppositions seemed to have found a weakness in her partner's game. Smriti Mandhana is undoubtedly one of the best opening batters in the world, but her form lately has been a tad concerning.
Ever since the WPL, the vice-captain has looked like a shadow of herself. Her struggles against off-spin, especially early in her innings, could be a genuine worry for India in the time to come.
#3 The debutants held their own
While the team selections might have left a bit to be desired, the debutants didn't let the team management down. Minnu Mani and Anusha Bareddy made the most of their opportunities in the series to make their mark.
Minnu Mani bagged 5 wickets in three matches, proving to be more than a handful with her off-breaks. Meanwhile, Anusha Bareddy only took one wicket throughout the series and missed her radar on a few occasions, but was impressive for most parts.