3 things to watch out for in India-England Women T20I series
The Indian women's team are set to begin a blockbuster home season with a three-match T20I series against England, to be played in its entirety at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from Wednesday, December 6. The A teams of both nations just concluded a closely fought T20 series and with some big names in the main teams, it promises to be a cracking series.
The Indian team have some key things to look at in the short term as well as the long term. Such a high-octane series against a quality opposition like England can be vital for the hosts to get a better understanding of their strengths and improvement over the years.
On that note, let's take a look at three factors that the Women in Blue will want to have a look at during the T20I series:
#3 India's team combination for T20 World Cup
The Women's T20 World Cup 2024 to be played in Bangladesh is just under a year away. However, the Women in Blue won't play a lot of T20Is in the build-up, certainly not against a quality opposition like England.
There is a nice mix of youth and experience in the current squad and they would want to look at what works for them in the shortest format. It has been a case of so near yet so far for India in ICC events and Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. will want to change that by building a solid foundation for the tournament next year.
#2 Batting might and role clarity
There has been a lot of talk about how India haven't been able to get the best out of their batting despite having all the quality. The lower middle order in particular, with the likes of Deepti Sharma, haven't been able to provide the finishing kick needed to get to big totals.
The hosts will want to understand what works best for each batter in terms of entry points in the T20 game and making the most of the batting prowess they have. These three games will present them with some match situations where the Women in Blue might need to think out of the box.
#1 Exciting fresh faces
One of the biggest names among the uncapped players in the T20I squad is all-rounder Shreyanka Patil. After impressive performances in the WPL and also later in the Emerging Asia Cup for India A, many cannot wait to see how Shreyanka rises to the occasion on the international stage.
Young pacer Titas Sadhu played a vital role in India winning the Asian Games gold in women's cricket and will continue to try and cement her place in the setup. Left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque, after an incredible WPL 2023, has also got an opportunity to prove just how good she is.
Likewise, several other players will have an opportunity to bring something unique to the team in terms of their skillset and impact.