India are bit more pumped when it comes to Australia, quips Smriti Mandhana

India women’s cricket team is scheduled to play three ODIs, the day-night Test, and three T20Is against Australia. The tour will start with the ODI series which begins on September 21. India women’s cricket is looking forward to playing their first-ever pink-ball test from September 30 to October 3 in Canberra. The three-match T20I series is scheduled to begin on October 7.

"When it comes to Australia, you're a bit more pumped because the level of competitiveness of the Australian team just rubs off on us and we also start being extra competitive."

"The team has grown massively (since the T20 World Cup)," Mandhana told 'The Scoop podcast'.

Speaking on how Covid-19 has affected the games, Smriti stated that the break helped the players to understand what they lack as an individual and come back stronger. She further added that the whole team has worked well on their fitness before the Australia tour.

"The whole team has worked on their fitness and skills...we are still getting into a rhythm of playing matches continuously but the last five, six months we have been playing cricket and now we are getting back into the match mindset. Hopefully, the series goes well for the whole team"

The southpaw is the only Indian women cricketer to score a century on Australian soil. Smriti scored a brilliant 102 at Blundstone Arena in 2016. The Indian opener also holds the highest T20I score by an Indian woman in Australia. Smriti stated that the Australian conditions are challenging and nobody will tell that they do not like batting in the country.

The Indian team completed their 14-day isolation period on Monday and will play a warm-up match in Brisbane on Saturday.

"We are all just really happy to play cricket, whatever the quarantine period may be," Mandhana said.