Mithali Raj laments lack of experience in pace-bowling department after Australia series loss

03/20/2018

Indian women’s ODI captain Mithali Raj has said that the pace-bowling department lacked experience which reflected in their performances in the ODI series against Australia. The 35-year-old also felt that Australia’s lower middle-order was the difference as they kept contributing till the end.

Ever since the Indian women’s cricket team played the final of the 2017 Women’s World Cup, the expectation have grown. And after the 2-1 ODI series win in South Africa, India looked in good stead but their good run was brought to a screeching halt after Australia whitewashed them 3-0, at home, in the recently concluded ODI series.

India’s ODI captain Mithali Raj lamented the pace-bowling unit’s lack of experience at the international level and observed that there are a lot of areas the Indian side needs to work on. She also felt that the Australia series was an eye-opener for the team.

“Our fast-bowling unit lacked experience… and that reflected very starkly in these ODIs. When you play against a good side, you don’t get anything easy. There is a lot we need to work on, it’s been an eye-opener for all the girls,” Raj was quoted saying by Cricbuzz.

Reflecting on the performance of the Australian eves, the Indian captain believes that it was the Aussie lower-order which contributed in every game that made the difference.

“In every game, one of their openers have made a major contribution, and having said that, even their middle-order didn’t pitch in. But they had the lower middle-order contributing till the end. I think that’s where we haven’t bowled according to the plan that we wanted to execute on the ground. When you set the field on one side and bowl on the other and it’s costing you boundaries after boundaries, you can’t do much,” the 35-year-old skipper stated.

Mithali, who is also the leading run-scorer in women’s ODIs, also said that despite their performance in South Africa where they won both the ODI and T20I series, facing Australia or England was not going to be easy. She also feels that at least one department, batting or bowling, needs to click.

“Even though we have beaten South Africa, it was not going to be easy against Australia, or England, who I believe also have a very good squad. As Indian team, we need to understand our strengths and make that department even stronger so that it overshadows the other department that has lackings. That’s something we couldn’t do in these three one-day games. Bowling wasn’t supportive, nor did our batting come good. At least one department needs to click,” she explained.

Mithali Raj laments lack of experience in pace-bowling department after Australia series loss

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