Kolkata: These are interesting times for the women’s ODI setup. Shafali Verma has been dropped for the first time since December 2023, incidentally after a three-match home series against Australia. Her exclusion was anticipated given Verma averaged 18 in six ODIs this year. In normal circumstances, Yastika Bhatia would have opened in her place. But she too is sidelined due to a wrist injury suffered in the Women’s Big Bash league. Which means India are looking to fill a big void at the top.

Able replacements have been lined up though. The talented Uma Chetry could get a debut to fill in for Bhatia, Richa Ghosh is returning after missing the home series against New Zealand due to her board exams, Harleen Deol is making a comeback after a year, while Titas Sadhu and Minnu Mani are being possibly primed for one-day debuts. Ringing in so many changes while maintaining the composure of the team isn’t easy, that too in Australia where India haven’t won an ODI series till date. Yet, that’s the task skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has taken upon herself.

Apart from bragging rights, there is another angle to this bilateral series. Australia currently lead the ICC Women’s ODI Championship table with 28 points, ahead of jointly-placed England on net run rate. India — third with 25 points — have the chance of going past both teams since they have nine games left to play, six of which are against West Indies and Ireland. That means Australia are under the pump – they have to beat India 3-0 and win the series against New Zealand later this month if they want to win the championship for a third consecutive time. There is much to play for, more possibly for India given that they host the World Cup next year. And they need Verma back well before that.

Kaur has extended her support to Verma, backing her to make a successful comeback soon. “She is a very important player for us and has done exceptionally well for the country. We are looking forward to seeing her get back into her zone and perform well for the team,” she said ahead of the series opener in Brisbane on Thursday.

That said, there couldn’t be a better opportunity to test the hopefuls. “All games are important, and we will try different combinations to identify players who are performing well. We aim to give opportunities to the upcoming players and see whoever is best, keeping the World Cup in mind. We will focus on selecting players who can excel in home conditions when we play the World Cup,” she said.

India carry some momentum, given that they have just won the home series against New Zealand 2-1. While Australia are expected to test them, there is no denying that this is the format India are traditionally best at. “We all enjoy playing ODIs more than any other format. It’s a format we always look forward to. With the World Cup in India coming up, playing against Australia, who play excellent cricket wherever they go, is a great platform for us to showcase our skills,” said Kaur. “Every time we play, our goal is to win, and this series is no exception. It’s good to see that our team has been doing well in ODIs, and we want to maintain that momentum.”

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