Train Journey to Freedom: India Leaves Worries Behind

After a lengthy 90-minute batting session at the newly opened indoor nets at Holkar Stadium, Jemimah Rodrigues emerged onto the ground, where unexpected rain had covered much of it. Accompanied by a throwdown expert, she ventured to the practice pitches where she focused intensely on executing sweeps against both right and left-handed throwdowns. In the ongoing World Cup, she has been dismissed three times by left-arm spinners, including twice for ducks, usually relying on her sweep shot as a reliable technique against slower bowlers.

This focused session not only highlighted Rodrigues’ struggle for consistency but also pointed to a larger issue plaguing the team as a whole in this tournament.

Prior to Rodrigues, the batting duo of Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol spent close to an hour facing the spinners, including left-armers Radha Yadav and Sree Charani, in one-over rotations. Rawal fell twice attempting the sweep against the spinners. Facing a similar challenge, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Rodrigues later entered the spinners’ net for an intense match-simulation session after facing pace bowlers earlier.

When vice-captain Smriti Mandhana finally stepped up to bat, she confronted both left-arm and off-spin bowlers, which have become weak spots in her game. She handled the spinners well, occasionally driving them down the ground with confidence.

A concerning trend has emerged during India’s challenging start to the home World Cup, raising questions about their preparation and response to spin, particularly ahead of their crucial match against England.

India has lost 18 wickets to spinners so far, with 15 to left-arm spinners, the highest among all teams. This has placed additional pressure on India’s batting lineup, which has frequently crumbled under spin bowling, showcasing a growing vulnerability that could be exploited in their upcoming matches.