As the lights illuminate the ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium, Jemimah Rodrigues exits the practice nets, wiping the sweat from her brow. Even with concerns surrounding India’s top batting lineup in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup, she remains optimistic.
Having put in the hard work ahead of an important match, Rodrigues isn’t overly concerned that she and other key players haven’t made significant runs in the tournament yet.
India’s batting has come under scrutiny, with less-fancied opponents exposing the weaknesses in their celebrated top three. So far, Pratika Rawal has scored just 68 runs, Rodrigues 32, Smriti Mandhana 31, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur 40 — all across two crucial matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. This has forced the lower-order bats to step up when needed.
The opening stands, typically known for their solid beginnings, have faltered. Mandhana and Rawal managed only 14 runs against Sri Lanka and a mere 48 against Pakistan—hardly what fans expect from them.
This duo has previously set records, amassing 1,200 runs in just 15 innings at an impressive average of 80 before the tournament. Their opening partnership has been one of the most successful in women’s ODIs.
Despite the challenges, India currently sits in a strong second place in the points table. However, there are growing worries about the lack of runs from the star players. In both matches, India faced tough situations, needing the middle and lower order to pull them through. Contributions from players like Harleen Deol, Amanjot Kaur, Richa Ghosh, and Deepti Sharma have been crucial in bouncing back.
Rodrigues believes the team’s depth will be a safety net, but she acknowledges the necessity for the top order to perform. “We’ve established a strong opening partnership, and our opponents know we have robust batting throughout the lineup. If one player struggles, another can step up, as we’ve seen with Amanjot and Richa recently,” she explained.
While Rodrigues hasn’t yet made a big score herself, she isn’t focusing on it. “In my first match, the bowling was too good, and I couldn’t do much. The second match was about building a partnership and setting a foundation for the team rather than worrying about my score,” she said, emphasizing that team success is her priority.
Smriti Mandhana, though still searching for form, remains a key worry for South Africa. She has an impressive record against them, scoring 906 runs in 18 ODIs at an average of 53.29, including three centuries.
South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk recognizes Mandhana’s skill and notes that the team’s focus will be on taking her wicket early. “We need to break that successful opening partnership and target the middle order. If we can do that, it could give us the upper hand,” she said.
With a strong bowling lineup, South Africa hopes to capitalize on India’s top-order struggles.
As India heads into a crucial phase of the World Cup in Vizag, they’ll face a challenging set of four matches against teams that dashed their hopes last year. For a batting team still finding its rhythm, the conditions seem favorable. A well-balanced pitch could provide the perfect platform for a much-needed resurgence.
To navigate this demanding schedule, India’s star trio—Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, and Jemimah Rodrigues—will need to step up, translate their potential into performance, and lead the team forward.
