India's Coach Analyzes Batting and Bowling Strategies After World Cup Defeat
Post-Match Reflections from Coach Amol Mazumdar
Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], October 13: In the aftermath of India's defeat to Australia in the ICC Women’s World Cup, head coach Amol Mazumdar shared insights on the team's batting performance, the high percentage of dot balls, and the potential for incorporating a sixth bowler in their upcoming match against England.
India set a remarkable target of 330 runs, thanks to a stunning partnership of 155 runs between openers Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal. However, Australian captain Alyssa Healy's exceptional innings of 142 runs off 107 balls enabled her team to chase down the highest total in women's ODI history.
The Indian bowling lineup featured young pacer Kranti Gaud, who conceded 73 runs in nine overs, alongside spinner Shree Charani, who claimed three wickets. All-rounders Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana added depth to the spin attack, but the absence of another reliable bowling option, such as pacers Renuka Thakur and Arundhati Reddy or spinner Radha Yadav, was felt.
Regarding the need for an additional bowling option, Amol stated in the post-match press conference, “We will evaluate this game and the management will discuss it thoroughly before making a decision for the next match.”
He praised the batting effort that led to 330 runs, noting, “While we could have aimed for more, we focus on the positives. There are valuable lessons to learn from our batting performance today.”
On the topic of dot balls, Amol mentioned that the team had previously discussed this issue after their loss to South Africa. He acknowledged that while they performed well against Australia, they need to analyze their dot ball percentage more closely.
“I’m not sure of the exact percentage. Was it 48%? Yes, we need to reduce that,” he remarked.
Amol commended the young bowlers Kranti and Charani, both of whom have excelled in the tournament, with Kranti delivering a strong performance against Pakistan and Charani keeping India competitive against Australia. He described their contributions as “vibrant.”
“Both have been outstanding. For instance, Sree Charani bowled well against top players, conceding only around 40 runs in her 10 overs while taking crucial wickets. Their energy is infectious both on and off the field,” he concluded.
In the match, Australia won the toss and chose to bowl first. The opening pair of Pratika Rawal (75 runs off 96 balls) and Mandhana (80 runs off 66 balls) set a solid foundation with a 155-run partnership. However, India struggled to capitalize on this as Annabel Sutherland (5/40) and Sophie Molineux (3/75) took regular wickets.
Despite contributions from Harmanpreet Kaur (22 runs), Jemimah Rodrigues (33 runs), and Richa Ghosh (32 runs), India was bowled out for 330 runs in 48.5 overs.
During Australia's chase, Healy and Phoebe Litchfield (40 runs) established an 85-run partnership. After Charani dismissed Litchfield, Perry came in but had to retire hurt. India briefly fought back with wickets from Deepti Sharma and Charani, but Healy received solid support from Ashleigh Gardner (45 runs), leading Australia past 260 runs. Charani eventually took Healy's wicket, but Perry returned to finish the match with a six, sealing the victory with an over to spare. Healy was named 'Player of the Match' for her outstanding performance.