Predicting India Women's 5 best performers for 2024 ft. Smriti Mandhana & Jemimah Rodrigues
It was another year of several highs and some lows for the Indian Women's team across formats in 2023. While they had their moments in the T20 World Cup at the start of the year, the ending to it was all too familiar, with a five-run semi-final loss against Australia shattering their dreams.
The following white-ball tour of Bangladesh was another mixed bag, with the Women in Blue suffering a couple of indifferent defeats amidst the T20I series win and the drawn ODI series. However, Team India enjoyed a series of highs after that by winning the 2023 Asian Games in their maiden appearance, followed by sensational wins in one-off home Tests against England and Australia.
While a T20I series loss to England sandwiched between the two and trailing 0-2 in the ongoing ODI series against Australia has marred those highs, the joyous moments outweighed the lows in the latter half of 2023 for the Indian Women.
The importance of the shortest format will be exponentially higher in 2024, with the T20 World Cup set to be played in Bangladesh later in the year. India will also start their year with a three-match T20I series against Australia and are likely to play only white-ball formats, especially T20Is, this season.
With that in mind, let us predict India Women's five best performers for 2024.
# 1 Smriti Mandhana
Although Team India has turned into a star-studded unit, looking past opening batter Smriti Mandhana as the star performer in 2024 is hard to fathom. As the only Indian batter in the top five of the ODI and T20I rankings, the 27-year-old enjoyed a reasonably impressive season with a few troughs in 2023.
Mandhana averaged 35 in four ODIs and over 27 in 18 T20Is, highlighted by an excellent finish to the year with five 40+ scores in her last seven innings in the formats.
The southpaw was also instrumental to India's double wins in the home Tests against England and Australia, averaging 51.66 in four innings.
If Team India are to have a successful 2024 season culminating with a first ICC title in the T20 World Cup, Mandhana's batting at the top will hold the key.
# 2 Harmanpreet Kaur
Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has, arguably, one of her most important years coming up in 2024. With the swashbuckling batting all-rounder getting up there at 34, the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh could be among her final opportunities to help India Women break their ICC trophy drought.
While temperamental off-field moments took away some of the shine from her exploits on the cricket field, Kaur has had a commendable 2023 as captain and player.
She was on her way to pulling off one of India's most memorable wins in the T20 World Cup semi-final against Australia at the start of the year. However, at the most unfortunate moment, the Indian skipper was run out for 52 off 34 as India suffered heartbreak by five runs.
Despite a dismal year in ODIs, Kaur sparkled in T20Is with an average of over 33 in 16 games and an impressive average of 46.50 in the two Tests.
A game changer in the middle-order, Kaur will be the match-winner India will bank on for a successful 2024.
# 3 Renuka Singh Thakur
Team India will not look beyond pacer Renuka Singh Thakur to spearhead the attack in 2024.
Following a remarkable breakthrough season in 2022, the 27-year-old blew hot and cold before a stirring finish to 2023. After a disappointing T20 World Cup with only the spectacular 5/15 against England to show for it, Renuka missed out on the Bangladesh tour.
However, she returned to form in style by picking up seven wickets in the three T20Is at home against England. With an incredible overall bowling average of 17.57 and 21.13 in ODIs and T20Is, Renuka has stepped into the legendary Jhulan Goswami's role of leading the Indian pace attack seamlessly.
# 4 Jemimah Rodrigues
One of India's massive gains of 2023 was the emergence of Jemimah Rodrigues as a reliable star rather than only an inconsistent match-winner.
The versatile batter had an impressive T20 World Cup campaign, including a memorable 53* off 38 in a thrilling victory against Pakistan. She made solid contributions throughout the year and formed a formidable big three with Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur.
Rodrigues was India's leading run-scorer in Tests and ODIs in 2023 and second behind Mandhana in T20Is. The talented batter averaged a terrific 63.75 at a strike rate of 90.74 in five ODIs and 60 in the two Tests this year.
She will look to build on the momentum and lead India's batting to greater heights in 2024.
# 5 Deepti Sharma
Bowling all-rounder Deepti Sharma is among the most bankable players in the Indian side, and 2024 should be no different.
The 26-year-old was India's leading wicket-taker in all formats in 2023 with a combined 40 wickets, including 11 in two Tests and 21 in 19 T20Is. An economy rate of under four and six in T20Is and ODIs was a testimonial to the off-spinner's impeccable control.
While her batting wasn't clicking on all cylinders, Deepti made timely contributions in the white-ball formats before scoring two invaluable half-centuries in the Tests against England and Australia.
The reliable all-rounder will play a pivotal role for India in the 2024 T20 World Cup, especially on the slow and low Bangladesh pitches.