Former India cricketer Veda Krishnamurthy has said that the Indian women's batting unit's early collapse against Zimbabwe's slower bowlers in the first women's T20I on Friday should serve as a wake-up call ahead of the second match on Sunday. India ultimately recovered to win comfortably, but the top-order stumble raised questions about the team's readiness against non-pace attacks.

How India Recovered From 19/4

India found themselves in serious trouble at 19 for 4 inside the first four overs at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium. Nyasha Gwanzura dismissed both captain Smriti Mandhana — who had struck two boundaries in the opening over — and Anushka Sharma, while Michelle Mavunga removed Harmanpreet Kaur. Shafali Verma also fell to Nyasha, leaving India in a precarious position.

Deepti Sharma and Niki Prasad then stitched together a crucial 82-run partnership off 63 balls for the fifth wicket, rescuing India from what could have been a damaging defeat. Deepti finished on 49 — one short of a half-century — while Niki remained unbeaten on 39, sealing the chase of 115 in 15.4 overs with 26 balls to spare. India lead the three-match series 1-0.

Veda's Assessment of the Top-Order Struggle

Speaking to Jio Star, Veda Krishnamurthy attributed the collapse to a mismatch in preparation — Indian batters had been training against pace bowling to gear up for teams like Australia and England, making the adjustment to Zimbabwe's slower bowlers harder than expected.

'India lost a couple of wickets early on; it takes time to adjust to slower bowlers, and that is exactly what happened. The batters had been practising at a certain pace to prepare for the level of competition they face globally, particularly against teams like Australia and England. However, this game was an eye-opener for the Indian batters. There is no taking away from the class of the top-order players, but I believe they will be much better prepared in the next game,' Veda said.

Praise for Deepti Sharma's Experience and Leadership

Veda highlighted the role of the experienced Deepti Sharma in steadying the innings, noting that the all-rounder took pressure on herself and created space for the debutant to settle in.

'It was an excellent partnership. You needed someone with that experience to come in, especially when the wickets fell. Deepti Sharma is a very versatile batter, and the left-right-hand combination also throws the bowlers off. The attacking intent Deepti brought allowed Niki Prasad to take her time and understand the situation,' she said.

'Deepti took the pressure on herself and took on the bowlers, making it easier for Niki to get going in the middle overs. Both Deepti Sharma and Niki Prasad have played a lot of domestic cricket over the last couple of years, which also helps them adjust to bowlers and conditions like these,' Veda added.

Spotlight on Debutant Niki Prasad

Veda Krishnamurthy was particularly impressed by 20-year-old Niki Prasad's composure in her first international innings, drawing a parallel to her standout WPL debut where she had walked in under similar pressure.

'Niki Prasad was brilliant as a batter and as a cricketer. She is only 20, but she has the composure of a much more mature and experienced player. That is why she has been able to handle pressure and deliver an innings like this. It takes me back to her WPL debut as well, where she walked in during a very similar situation and made an impressive start,' she said.

With the series finely poised and the second T20I on Sunday, all eyes will be on whether India's top order can adapt more quickly to the conditions and make a stronger start.