New Delhi: India women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur admitted on Friday that below-par batting performances in the first two One-Day Internationals against Australia led to consecutive defeats in their first 50-over assignment since becoming world champions last November.
India had started the tour on a positive note, clinching the T20I series 2-1. However, the momentum did not carry into the ODI leg, where they suffered back-to-back losses with one match still to be played on Sunday. The two sides are competing in an all-format series, which will be decided on a points basis and also includes a one-off Test.
Missed chance to post 300-plus total
In the second ODI, India opted to bat first and posted 251/9. The innings was anchored by half-centuries from Harmanpreet (54) and Pratika Rawal (52). Despite the decent total, the team fell short of expectations.
Reflecting on the defeat, Harmanpreet said the team had intended to cross the 300-run mark, especially given the favourable pitch conditions.
“Well, definitely we didn’t bat well today because as a group we decided that let’s bat first and put a 300-plus total on the board because today’s pitch was far better than the previous one,” she said after the match.
However, India once again lost wickets at crucial intervals, preventing them from building substantial partnerships.
“But unfortunately, we again made the same mistakes and we kept losing wickets in between, and that’s why we were short of lots of runs,” she added.
Fielding lapses compound problems
Apart from batting inconsistencies, India’s fielding also proved costly. The team dropped multiple catches, allowing Australia to capitalise during the chase.
Australia eventually overhauled the 252-run target comfortably, winning by five wickets with 13.5 overs to spare. The defeat highlighted areas that need urgent correction ahead of the series finale.
Harmanpreet stressed that irrespective of whether the team bats first or second, strong and deep batting performances are essential.
“No matter whether we bat first or second, we have to bat really well because whenever we bat well, we’re always in a good situation. In the last two games we didn’t bat well, and that really cost us. It’s only about batting well and batting deep, and hopefully in the next game we’ll do that,” she said.
Australia seal ODI advantage
Australia captain Alyssa Healy, who is set to play her final match on Sunday before retiring, expressed satisfaction with her team’s performance.
“I’m really pumped with that result. Like I said the other night, I was ecstatic with the way that we went about that chase and to do it again tonight even better, I thought, was outstanding. Pretty pleased with that,” Healy said.
Australia’s composed chase and disciplined bowling have put them in a commanding position in the ODI series.
Decider offers chance for redemption
With one ODI remaining, India will aim to salvage pride and address the shortcomings that have plagued them in the 50-over format. As reigning world champions, expectations remain high, and a strong showing in the final game would help restore confidence.
The all-format series, which includes a one-off Test, still offers India an opportunity to regroup and compete strongly. For Harmanpreet and her side, the focus will be on correcting batting frailties and tightening fielding standards to finish the tour on a positive note.