It will be the first time India and Zimbabwe face each other in a bilateral series. India recently reaffirmed their dominance at the Asian level, but they remain a work in progress in international cricket, especially in the shortest format. Back-to-back premature exits in the T20 World Cup have exposed chinks in their armour. India need improvement in all three departments of the game if they are to consistently challenge the likes of Australia.
India will look to significantly refine their T20 game when the era of new captain Smriti Mandhana begins with a three-match series against a spirited Zimbabwe side on Friday.
India won a historic ODI World Cup at home last year, but lifting the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy at home early next year will be a tougher task.
On the batting front, the team has struggled to maintain momentum in the middle overs following the flying starts provided by Mandhana and Shafali Verma. Fielding has let the team down on several occasions and needs significant improvement. In the bowling department, the recent rise of Nandni Sharma has been a major positive, but the pace attack overall needs more potency to strike regularly in all phases of the game. For regular breakthroughs in the middle overs, leg-spinner Prema Rawat may need an extended run in the side. The fresh faces in the squad include Niki Prasad and Jintimani Kalita. The series presents an ideal opportunity for a confident Zimbabwe side after their ODI win over the West Indies last month.
