Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Dec 25 (NationPress) India’s off-spin bowling all-rounder Deepti Sharma is now fit and ready for selection ahead of the third T20I against Sri Lanka, as confirmed by head coach Amol Muzumdar on Thursday, the day before the match.

Deepti missed the second T20I in Visakhapatnam, which India won by seven wickets, due to a mild fever. The BCCI medical team was closely observing her recovery. Muzumdar stated, “Deepti is absolutely fine. She's available and fit,” during the pre-match press briefing.

So far in the series, India has yet to utilize pacer Renuka Singh Thakur, which Muzumdar attributed to exploring different team combinations.

“For Renuka, we were focusing on a different combination. We are experimenting with various options, and she has been a key player for us over the last two years. It’s about testing different strategies within the squad,” added Muzumdar.

He also noted that Jemimah Rodrigues, who scored 69 not out and 26 in the previous matches in Visakhapatnam, missed the practice session as a precaution. “Jemimah had a minor issue, but she is fine. She is just resting today,” he explained.

“The medical team is closely monitoring her condition. She should be okay; it’s simply a mandatory rest she requested. We will finalize the playing XI on the morning of the game,” he concluded.

This match marks the inaugural women’s international game at the Greenfield International Stadium. Muzumdar expressed enthusiasm about assessing their game plan for achieving a series victory at this venue.

“We haven't had the chance to familiarize ourselves with the venue yet. We just arrived, but we are excited to explore Trivandrum. This is the first time we are playing an international women's match here, and we are thrilled to be in God's Own Country.

“It’s not solely about challenges; it's about understanding the conditions and adapting accordingly. It’s not constantly a matter of challenges or ‘we haven’t done this, so we will do that’. It’s about making informed decisions—if we feel bowling first is advantageous, we’ll opt for that; if batting first seems better, we’ll go with that.”

“We aim to gain a clearer perspective on the ground and the pitches today. That’s why we are here for our net session. We’ll spend ample time on the main ground to understand the pitch and the overall conditions, allowing us to make informed decisions,” he concluded.