Brisbane, Dec 4
Ahead of India playing its first ODI against Australia at the Allan Border Field on Thursday, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said the team’s aim on this tour is to go out there and try their combinations, especially with the World Cup happening next year.
Australia have won nine of their last ten women’s ODI matches against India. “Well, all the games are important for us. We just want to go there and try our combinations and see whoever is doing well and giving them more opportunity.”
“At the same time, the upcoming players who are doing really well, want to give them a chance and see whoever is the best. Then, keeping World Cup in the mind, all those players who can do well in the home conditions, we'll just look to pick those players when we are playing the World Cup,” said Harmanpreet in the pre-series press conference.
India come on the back of winning 2-1 over New Zealand in Ahmedabad in October and Harmanpreet said all members are available for selection for the series opener against Australia.
“It's always a great feeling whenever we're playing in Australia. We all love playing cricket here and looking forward for that. We had two days of training and trying to get ourselves in as soon as possible. Everyone is looking in good shape, and enjoying ourselves here. All the 15 members here, they all are fit and ready for tomorrow.”
“We all did really well against New Zealand in home conditions and here, conditions are different and we're trying to get ourselves as soon as possible and looking really forward to play against Australia. ODI is a format where we all enjoy a lot than other cricket.”
“It's something we're always looking forward to playing, especially with upcoming World Cup is in India. Australia is someone who plays really good cricket wherever they go. It's a great platform for us to go and play well against them.”
India will be fielding a new opening combination after dropping Shafali Verma, who has amassed just 108 runs at an average of 18 in six ODIs this year. They are also without Yastika Bhatia, who’s out of the tour due to a wrist injury, with Priya Punia the other top-order batter in the touring squad.
“Well, she (Shafali) is someone who is very important to us and did really well for the country. She's someone we were really looking forward to get back in the zone and do well for the country,” concluded Harmanpreet.