In limbo: Harmanpreet & Co. are yet to find a perfect balance between bat and ball.
| Photo Credit: R.V. MOORTHY
While it is never ideal to look at anything in hindsight, Jemimah Rodrigues’ thoughts about India after the wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh make for interesting reading.
“It’s scary for the opponents to know that we have not had our perfect match yet. In such tournaments, because it’s so long, it’s important to peak at the right time,” she stated.
And therein lies the problem.
Rarely in ODI cricket, especially at a World Cup, do teams have perfect matches. Australia, South Africa and England — the three teams to have sealed their semifinal berths — can attest to this.
In finding balance between bat and ball in the line-up, the Women in Blue are stuck between a rock and a hard place, and a big basket of ‘what-ifs’ to stew over.
What will sting most is the defeat against England in Indore.
India, needing 27 runs off 18 balls, lost the plot when it almost looked difficult to. Having faced issues with just five frontline bowlers, India opted for a sixth, a ploy that didn’t yield the desired results.
Loose lines and lengths in key junctures, imperfect fielding efforts and persistent issues with the batting order have all made an appearance here and there, and sometimes together.
Against England, the shocker was the nagging finishing issue that has plagued the side with bat and ball. And no, this isn’t recent. Think of the horrors of that 2017 final at Lord’s.
In Indore, after a shaky start, seniors Smriti Mandhana and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur — alive to the perils of not having Jemimah, who was dropped to make way for Renuka Singh — laid the foundation for what should have been a simple win.
In retrospect, the veteran pair realised the folly in not putting the game to bed and leaving it to the tail, no matter how prolifically it had wagged all tournament.
India is not an inexperienced side anymore. Fixtures against high-quality opponents, three high-octane editions of the Women’s Premier League and an overall improvement in approach to technique and physical conditioning have all been major positives. If mindset is what is setting this team up for failure, then it’s a red flag that needs urgent attention.
A stubbornness to address poor performance might see India, vying for the final semifinal spot, heading into a sword fight with a nail-file.
Published – October 21, 2025 07:30 pm IST
