India’s women’s cricket team suffered a crushing 190-run defeat in the final ODI against Australia, marking a clean sweep for the visitors and their second 3-0 whitewash of the Indian side since 2018. While the loss stings, Jemimah Rodrigues believes it presents valuable lessons and an opportunity for a fiery comeback in the upcoming T20 series.
“There’s a lot of learning points,” Rodrigues acknowledged, praising Australia’s resilience in bouncing back from setbacks. “The way they got back after a fall is something I can, and as a team we can learn, to come back stronger in the T20I series,” she emphasized.
Echoing this sentiment, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur acknowledged the need for improvement in fielding, which has been a persistent problem for the team. “Australian fielding is something we always discuss,” she admitted, urging her team to “think about that and do well in the future.”
Rodrigues added that there are “no excuses” for their fielding lapses, especially the seven dropped catches in the second ODI. She assured fans that the team is aware of the issue and actively working on it. However, she refuted claims of fatigue, attributing the fielding errors to a lack of execution rather than physical exhaustion.
The power-hitting department is another area of concern. With Australia smashing 16 sixes across the ODIs compared to India’s meager three, Rodrigues conceded that they need to develop their long-hitting game. However, she emphasized that individual roles and format adaptability play a crucial role. “You might see many more sixes in the T20s,” she hinted, promising continuous improvement in this aspect.
Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield, who played a pivotal role in the whitewash with her twin fifties and a century in the final ODI, acknowledged the growing threat posed by India in the T20I format. “India are definitely knocking down the door for the top spot in the T20s,” she said, her words reflecting the anticipation surrounding the upcoming series.
The ODI series may be over, but the ashes of defeat hold the embers of determination for India’s women’s cricket team. Can they transform the pain into power and rise like a phoenix in the T20s? The eyes of the cricket world are glued to the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, waiting to witness the answer.
