CHENNAI: It was the 28th over of the chase in the third and final ODI against Australia. India were already seven wickets down while chasing 339 to avoid a clean sweep at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. That is when Australian captain, Alyssa Healy introduced Annabel Sutherland. The medium pacer only bowled 18 balls, giving away nine runs while taking two wickets as India were bundled out for 148.
She was required for that job alone. Tahlia McGrath, the vice-captain, who was trapped in front on the first ball she faced, didn't even bowl a single over. Ellyse Perry, Australia's highest-ever wicket-taker in the format, didn't bowl in the entire series. And yet, Australia won the third and final ODI to burst India's bubble after a dominant Test win.
Before the white-ball series, it was clear that both teams were going through a transition. India, with the introduction of a few new faces like Saika Ishaque and head coach Amol Muzumdar. Meanwhile, this was Australia's first series after a change of guard with leadership. Many would say after the high of two back-to-back Test wins, India was ahead of going into the series. Australia, after their first-ever loss against India in Tests, were not runaway favourites like they always have been. Given their losses against England in the ODI and T20I leg of the Ashes, it was a new territory for them. If there was any moment to silence Australia, it was this.
Yet, the double World Cup champions ended up with one of their highest chases in the ODIs, a close win, and their highest score against India in the format. They showed that the engine room or even if the entire engine is changed, they will still collect trophies. It is not that the Indian squad has no talent at their disposal. Shreyanka Patil, in her debut ODI series, has looked million dollars with the ball. Jemimah Rodrigues and Pooja Vastrakar have done their job with the bat. Deepti Sharma- the bowler — has once again proved her importance. Richa Ghosh's brave innings in the second ODI was a glimmer of hope as well. However, none of these individual performances have won India any matches.
Harmanpreet Kaur's lean patch with the bat in the series — her scores read 9, 5, 3 — has to be one of the biggest concerns for the side. Smriti Mandhana has not converted her good starts into big innings. Shafali Verma was dropped after the first match. Deepti - the middle-order batter has not impressed at all in recent times. While the old guard of the team is having issues over a long period, doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result does not seem to be helping. Neither does pinning the losses on one aspect of the game.
"We always talk about their fielding. Skill-wise, we are very close, but their fielding is something we have always appreciated and taken from them," Kaur mentioned in the post-match presentation when asked what she would like to take from Australia.
However, there is something she would like to take from the opposition as well. Despite losing their most decorated captain before the series, and their current captain coming from a lengthy injury break, Australia found a way to win. India have enough talent to make it happen too. The post-series reflections should focus on how to utilise them properly. With the T20 and ODI WCs in the subcontinent, none of the teams have a lot of time to go through trial and error. The sooner India realise it, the better it would be for them.
Brief scores:
Australia 338/7 in 50 overs (Litchfield 119, Healy 82; Patil 3/57)
India: 148 allout in 32.4 overs (Mandhana 29; Wareham 3/23).