3rd ODI: Smriti Mandhana Acknowledges India's Fielding Challenges

Perth, Dec 11 (NationPress) After her impressive score of 105 went in vain as India lost the third ODI to Australia by 83 runs, resulting in a clean sweep of 3-0, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana acknowledged that India is still a work in progress in terms of their fielding capabilities.

Throughout the series and particularly in the match at the WACA Ground, India's fielding was subpar, notably dropping Annabel Sutherland twice, who subsequently scored a remarkable 110, leading Australia to a total of 298/6. In reply, aside from Smriti’s ninth ODI century, the rest of the Indian batting lineup faltered, resulting in a total of 215 all out in 45.1 overs.

“Fielding has been a focus for us over the last one and a half to two years. While we’ve made significant improvements, we still have not reached our full potential as a fielding unit,” Smriti stated.

“We need to consistently put in the effort to enhance our fielding. Our team recognizes the importance of learning from our mistakes, which is a positive aspect of our team culture. We will take these lessons to heart and work to correct our errors,” she added during the post-match press conference.

India entered the Australian series after a 2-1 victory against New Zealand in ODIs in Ahmedabad last October, but left without a single win. “It’s definitely hard to accept because we arrived here after winning the New Zealand series and felt the team was in good shape,” she reflected.

“However, we were clearly outperformed by Australia, particularly in the second and third matches. There were instances when our batting excelled, and moments when our bowling was up to par, but as a unit, we failed to synchronize. We have many lessons to take forward, and we hope to continue improving,” Smriti elaborated.

She also dismissed any doubts regarding India’s ability to compete with Australia in international cricket. “We have never doubted our capability to compete. If you doubt yourself, you can’t play the game. The belief has always been present. Even when we had them down to five wickets in the first match, our belief was intact,” she stated.

“Certainly, there were moments that didn’t go our way – like in this game, where we could have seized opportunities, and perhaps the outcome might have been different. It’s a valuable lesson for us about capitalizing on chances when presented, and we’ve never questioned our belief system,” she added.

With Shafali Verma absent, Smriti had a new opening partner in Priya Punia, before Richa Ghosh stepped in for the last two matches. Priya’s knee injury during the second ODI forced India to elevate Richa in the batting order, which compromised their middle-order strength.

“That’s a decision we’ll review once we return home. Unfortunately, Priya’s injury in the last match left us with no alternatives as we were chasing 380, and Richa is our most aggressive batter,” she explained. “If she gets going, she can dominate any team. This was our strategy for the last match, but we’ll certainly analyze our approach moving forward,” Smriti concluded.

On the bowling front, seam-bowling all-rounder Arundhati Reddy made a significant impact, showcasing her skills with seam movement during her initial spell of eight overs, claiming Georgia Voll, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, and Beth Mooney, achieving a career-best 4-27.

“I was given the task of taking wickets, and it was a strong performance for me personally. The plan was to consistently seek wickets. Missing out on the first two games allowed me to better understand the Australian batters,” she remarked.

While Arundhati could have claimed her fifth wicket, Ashleigh Gardner was dropped by Jemimah Rodrigues and survived an lbw decision after review. “I was eager to secure the fifer, but it’s just part of the game. I felt a bit unlucky regarding the review not going our way, but that’s okay,” she stated.

“Ultimately, it would have been more rewarding if the team had won – wickets only matter when the team succeeds. It didn’t happen this time, but I gained a lot of confidence. I always look forward to playing against Australia as they are among the best teams, and taking Ellyse Perry’s wicket was particularly satisfying,” she concluded.