New Delhi: Indian women’s cricket team head coach Amol Muzumdar on Friday described the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia as a crucial “trailblazer” for the team ahead of the Women’s World Cup, starting on September 30 in Guwahati.
India will face Australia in ODIs on September 14, 17, and 20, with the series seen as an important opportunity to fine-tune strategies and test combinations against one of the world’s top sides.
Speaking at a virtual press conference, Muzumdar reflected on India’s recent tour of England, saying, “It was a fantastic 40-day tour. We had positive results—winning the T20 series for the first time in England and taking the ODI series 2-1. Smriti Mandhana scored a hundred at Trent Bridge, and Harmanpreet Kaur did the same in Durham. Everyone contributed—Radhya Yadav and Kranti Goud played key roles. All the boxes were ticked.”
The coach stressed the importance of teamwork and collective effort in achieving success in the World Cup. “We have to make a huge collective effort to be on the right side of the result,” he said.
Muzumdar also highlighted the series against Australia as a vital preparation for the upcoming global event. “Australia has been a dominant force for many years, but our focus is on our preparation and execution. International cricket always brings pressure, and our players are now used to expectations and crowd pressure,” he noted.
On team selection and strategy, he added, “As a team, we decide by the game and on the day. The combination will depend on the match situation, and we are looking forward to this series as a real test ahead of the World Cup.”
