Underwhelming outings for seniors, but young India women dazzle in Australia T20Is
Harmanpreet didn't find runs, Mandhana was below par and Deepti's scoring rate left India short. The younger lot, though, impressed
Harmanpreet's lean run
The form of India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been in focus following six single-digit scores in the white-ball series against Australia. A look at the bare numbers would show that she has scored in double-figures only three times in nine outings since the T20 World Cup last year. Moreover, some of her captaincy calls have also come under the scanner. Dropping her might not be the solution since India do not play for another eight months or so, and by then the T20 World Cup would be around the corner.
Sadhu and Patil impress
India's love for spin-heavy XIs is no secret. But against Australia, they fielded as many as four seamers and just two spinners. With India moving on from Shikha Pandey, Renuka Singh has cemented her spot as the frontline fast bowler with Pooja Vastrakar for company.
Deepti and the batting question
Deepti is a quality bowler and she can make the XI on that skill alone. But time and again, India have trusted her to bat at No. 6 in a role that doesn't come naturally to her. She scored fifties in back-to-back Tests but has found it difficult to develop another gear to her white-ball batting. Even UP Warriorz had to rely mainly on Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris in the WPL 2023 for the batting fireworks.
Mandhana not converting starts
Smriti Mandhana got starts in five of the six T20Is this home season, but the big runs have eluded the opener. In each of the three outings against Australia, she picked a boundary rider perfectly after getting her eye in. The mantra earlier was to rein Mandhana in and dismiss her with Ashleigh Gardner's offbreaks; the India batter managed 31 off 36 balls against Gardner for no dismissals. But she managed only one half-century - and a couple of scores in forties - in 12 T20I innings since the T20 World Cup last year. Her form is not yet a concern for India and the WPL will present her an opportunity to get among the runs again.
S Sudarshanan is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo