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Cricket

India vs South Africa: Batting a major worry after Smriti Mandhana ruled out

The India women's cricket team received a massive blow on Tuesday as opener Smriti Mandhana was ruled out of the three ODIs against SA due to injury.

India vs South Africa: Batting a major worry after Smriti Mandhana ruled out
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By

Sarah Waris

Published: 8 Oct 2019 3:18 PM GMT

The Indian women's cricket team received a massive blow on Tuesday, the eve of the first ODI against South Africa, as opener Smriti Mandhana was ruled out of the three games due to a toe fracture. She was injured during a training session ahead of the game that will be held at Vadodra.

Mandhana, who had a rare failure in the T20Is against the Proteas managing knocks of 21, 13, 7 and 5, would have hoped to regain her touch in the 50-over format. With a career average of 42.41 in ODIs, Mandhana is a consistent match winner, and had played a huge hand in India's series wins against New Zealand and England earlier this year.

Pooja Vastrakar has been called in as her replacement.

Onus on Mithali to lead inexperienced batting side

The series also sees Mithali Raj, who announced her retirement from the shortest format, return to captain the side. With Mandhana ruled out, and the top-order bears an inexperienced look. Sans Raj, Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur, no other batter in the line-up has fared well consistently, which will only increase the pressure on the aforementioned stars. Veda Krishnamurthy has blown hot and cold in the recent past, while players like Taniya Bhatiya and Priya Punia - who is likely to open with Rodrigues - have not yet pitched in with a match-winning performance thus far.

Team India have the upper hand when it comes to the overall head-to-head record against South Africa
Team India have the upper hand when it comes to the overall head-to-head record against South Africa

But while the batting can prove to be their Achilles Heel, it is India's bowling that inspires confidence. The spinners attacked the visitors in the T20I series, and the plan is likely to remain the same for the three ODIs as well. Poonam Yadav and Ekta Bisht will get a lot of assistance from the pitch at Vadodra that will slow down as the innings progresses, and if the duo of Jhulan Goswami and Shikha Pandey get a couple of early wickets, the slower bowlers can go on to wreak havoc.

Team India have the upper hand when it comes to the overall head-to-head record against South Africa, winning 11 of the 19 games thus far. The series has not been included in the ICC ODI Championships, which should allow both sides to experiment and try out different combinations ahead of the 50-over World Cup in 2021.

Teams:
India Women Squad:
Jemimah Rodrigues, Mithali Raj(c), Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Taniya Bhatia(w), Shikha Pandey, Jhulan Goswami, Priya Punia, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Ekta Bisht, Punam Raut, Mansi Joshi, Pooja Vastrakar

South Africa Women Squad: Lizelle Lee(w), Sune Luus(c), Laura Wolvaardt, Mignon du Preez, Nondumiso Shangase, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Trisha Chetty, Lara Goodall, Marizanne Kapp, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Shabnim Ismail, Tumi Sekhukhune, Ayabonga Khaka

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