DUBAI: It has been 588 days since the last time the Indian women's cricket team played World Cup cricket. The followers of the game and even the casual watchers would remember the bleak February evening where despite having exceptional control over the situation in the semi-final against Australia, it all came crashing down at Newlands in Cape Town. While many things have remained categorically the same, a lot of water has flown under the bridge since then.
With the start of a new World Cup in Dubai's tough desert-like heat, there was a new spirit on display when India took the field for practice ahead of their opening match against New Zealand. In the high ball catching drills, there was a competition between Jemimah Rodrigues, opener Shafali Verma and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana to take the screamers. However, it was Harmanpreet Kaur who asked head coach Amol Muzumdar to increase the intensity of the drills. After achieving that, the session wound up with Kaur taking a running/diving catch, which the team applauded with zeal.
This is something Muzumdar has focused on since the day he took over the job back in December 2023. "Fielding and fitness are of the highest priority," Muzumdar had said on the eve of the first T20I. "There is no compromise on fielding and fitness. There will be a lot of camps that will be happening after this series and getting into the next season. More exposure, fitness and fielding will be my top priority," Muzumdar had laid his plans out immediately after taking over the job and he has stayed true to his words.
"Basically, if you see the first press conference I had said that fielding and fitness would be of high importance and we have worked on it. Thoroughly gone deeper into it and tried to work individually first in regards to the volume as far as fielding is concerned. Then in fitness, we have paid attention to each individual to take their fitness levels to the next level. So I think we have put in that effort. The effort has been there. I think you'll see the results," Muzumdar assured in the pre-match media interaction.
Apart from the fielding issues, one of the biggest problems the Indian batting line-up has faced over the past few months was of personnel, specifically about who is to take over the number three role vacated by shifting Rodrigues down the order. While he did not reveal his plans ahead of the departure from India, Muzumdar was clear ahead of the first match in Dubai that India will continue with captain Kaur at three despite not much returns in the warm-up games against South Africa and West Indies.
"Not just the warmup games, but we had already decided back in India in the camps that happened before we set off from Mumbai. We had a lovely camp in Bengaluru. We had decided there itself. And these pre-World Cup matches absolutely stamped that for us. Is it a surprise? Not at all. You can guess it. You go through the scorecard and you'll find it," Muzumdar cheekily replied.
With this being the first World Cup since the start of the Women's Premier League back home, India had multiple options to choose from. Not just limited to the playing XI but also with the squad. With more and more analytics and matchups taking over the women's game, Muzumdar believed that the team leadership now has to pick the right combination and that is a challenge they are happy to have. "That's a good headache. We do have a lot of talent in the team. That is with this 15 and beyond as well. So I think, a good headache to have. But now, me, Harman, Smriti, we enjoy that kind of stuff where we try out different combinations. We've figured out the right combination that we're going to play tomorrow (Friday). Whoever has got an opportunity, they've performed at their own, or at their numbers, whether it is batting number or whether it is bowling, they've performed well. And that's why they are there,"
While the scorching heat of Dubai will pose different challenges when India play their only day game against Australia in the later part of the tournament, the pleasant evening breeze at the ICC Cricket Academy Grounds was aiding their cause ahead of the first fixture. The background work is done, and even the dress rehearsal in the format of warm-up games is also over. Now it is the time to open the stage up and let the World Cup fever take over.