Indore, Oct 20 (NationPress) When the Indian women's cricket team announced their lineup after being put to bowl first by England in a pivotal clash at the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup held at the Holkar Stadium, many were astonished to see Jemimah Rodrigues omitted from the squad. This tactical change aimed to enhance the bowling lineup, leading to the introduction of seamer Renuka Singh Thakur instead of a specialist batter.

By opting for six bowlers, India aimed to strengthen their bowling strategy, despite prior criticisms regarding this choice. However, sacrificing a specialist batter like Jemimah raised questions about batting depth in such a critical match.

Unfortunately, the bold decision did not yield the expected results, as Renuka struggled to maintain control over her inswing deliveries. This lack of precision allowed England's Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones to score freely.

Despite a solid 125-run partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur that temporarily masked Jemimah's absence, India ultimately fell short by just four runs. In the post-match press conference, Smriti acknowledged the challenge of leaving Jemimah out, emphasizing the need for team balance.

“In our last two matches, we felt that five bowling options were insufficient, particularly on a flat track like Indore, similar to our second match against Australia in Vishakhapatnam. We realized that relying on five bowlers was risky, especially if one had an off day. It was tough to drop a player like Jemi, but sometimes team balance requires such difficult choices. We will reassess based on the situation and pitch conditions in future matches,” she stated.

India fielded what seemed to be their strongest eleven in the tournament against England, and while the narrow defeat prompted scrutiny of the strategy, it did not outright condemn it. The decision by head coach Amol Muzumdar to prioritize an additional bowler over Jemimah was a calculated risk, one that could prompt a rethink given the match's outcome.

Interestingly, the four-run loss might lead to Jemimah's reintroduction in the next match against New Zealand in Navi Mumbai, as India seeks to find the ideal balance and batting strength to keep their semi-final aspirations alive.

On a positive note, Deepti Sharma showcased her skills with an impressive spell, recording figures of 4-51 in 10 overs, including 24 dot balls. After England's strong start, Deepti's flight and disciplined line broke their momentum.

Her first wicket came in the 16th over, where she dismissed Tammy Beaumont with a drifting delivery that disrupted the sweep and hit the leg stump, marking Beaumont as her 150th ODI wicket. Deepti's strategic bowling continued to shine as she took further wickets, displaying her ability to outsmart batters.

“Deepti has been phenomenal for us. Achieving her 150th ODI wicket is a testament to her consistency. Her all-round capabilities in one-day cricket—both as a batswoman and bowler—have been remarkable. I hope she continues this form throughout the World Cup,” Smriti added.

–IANS

nr/bc