Are ODIs Against India a Good Opportunity for Adjustment to Conditions?

New Delhi, Sep 13 (NationPress) As Australia prepares for a three-match series against India, which will also act as crucial preparation for the Women’s ODI World Cup, leg-spinner Georgia Wareham stated that the matches against the Harmanpreet Kaur-led team present a timely opportunity for the visitors to acclimatize to the challenging subcontinental conditions that are hard to replicate back home.

Georgia was sidelined from the remainder of The Hundred due to a groin injury but managed to recover in time for selection in the ODIs against India and the upcoming World Cup set to commence on September 30. She is expected to take on spin-bowling responsibilities alongside fellow leg-spinner Alana King and off-spin all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner.

“It’s been a little different since I was in England for The Hundred and then came home early. But it’s tough. We can’t really replicate many of the conditions we’ll face in Australia. Therefore, getting as many games as possible and staying fresh for what will be a long ODI World Cup stint is essential,” stated Georgia.

“It’s crucial for us as a group to maintain our freshness and adapt to the conditions once we’re on the field. We have good opportunities in the ODI series and warm-up matches to adjust and become familiar with the conditions as much as we can,” Georgia expressed in a virtual interaction with IANS.

Australia aims to be the first team since 1988 to win consecutive Women’s ODI World Cups. The side last competed in an international series during their T20I tour of New Zealand in March, while their previous ODI matches took place in the multi-format Ashes in January.

“It’s going to be key for us to engage with the conditions, as I mentioned earlier. Getting accustomed to it is vital for the players as we head into the World Cup and prepare for one-day cricket,” Georgia added.

“We haven’t played much recently, coming off an off-season and jumping right into this. Therefore, it’s important for our group to get started and hit our stride just in time for the World Cup,” she elaborated.

Reflecting on the team’s semi-final loss to South Africa in last year’s T20 World Cup, Georgia noted that the team learned valuable lessons but emphasized they are approaching the ODI World Cup with a refreshed mindset.

“After the T20 World Cup, we discussed as a group what we needed to change and our future direction. However, with a different format, and given that the girls won the last one-day World Cup, there’s been significant time between tournaments, resulting in many teams looking different,” she remarked.

“While the T20 World Cup was disappointing, entering the next tournament with a fresh perspective will be crucial. We must focus on the present and not get ahead of ourselves,” she mentioned.

Georgia also discussed the fitness adjustments the Australian players have made to transition from the fast-paced format of The Hundred to the longer 50-over games coming up in the next several weeks.

“Our S&C coach, Jordan Stares, designed our training during The Hundred for those participating to keep our loads at a one-day cricket level, even during the off-season and pre-season. He’s done a fantastic job managing that amidst a plethora of other responsibilities.”

“All the players have worked hard to ensure we’re ready for one-day cricket. Replicating that when playing 100 balls in England is challenging, but everyone understands the adjustments needed for different formats,” she stated.

“The players are well aware of what they need to endure such an extensive period of cricket in the subcontinent. We’ve implemented a sauna protocol as it will be quite warm for us transitioning from winter to hot Indian conditions. The team has done a tremendous amount of work, and it’s exciting to see everyone eager to compete,” she concluded.