A chance to rattle the English cage: How India Women can seize their opportunity after poor start to World Cup

Almost a week ago, India were in Vishakhapatnam. Facing the world champions. Facing one of the greatest teams ever put together in women’s ODIs. And facing a side that has, quite often, had the beating of India, especially when there has been something riding on it in multi-nation tournaments.

India had their moments. Several of them, in fact. A chunk of those were with the bat, though, and their bowling exploits, despite a flurry of wickets towards the end, left plenty to be desired as Australia eased past the finish line . An opportunity missed.

India, consequently, have entered slightly turbulent waters at this Women’s World Cup, even if it has not yet materialized into a proper tempest. And it is amid this landscape that they take on England. Unbeaten so far, but fresh off a jailbreak in Colombo, where they were reeling at 78-7, against a side still to win at this World Cup, and were only bailed out by inclement weather. Meaning that the invincibility and perhaps inevitability of the fixture against Australia has morphed into a very inviting Indian opportunity.

How India Women can exploit England’s weaknesses

Most of England’s travails in Colombo were down to an inability to tackle the ball coming in. Pakistan captain Fatima Sana, an excellent proponent of that particular skill, ran riot, accounting for Amy Jones, Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt in her opening spell. At the other end, Diana Baig left Tammy Beaumont flummoxed – the latter shouldering arms to a delivery that boomeranged into off stump.

This would ordinarily be put down as a bad day. But it was not. It was eerily similar to what unfolded against Bangladesh, where Marufa Akter caused havoc with her in-swingers. On that balmy evening in Guwahati, she dismissed both England openers (Beaumont and Jones), and her brand of in-swinging bowling may have had a further say in the outcome had she not been battling a niggle.

Only if India also had a right-arm pacer capable of hooping and swerving the ball into batters…

As it turns out, India have a bowler of that exact mould. But Renuka Singh has often been exiled to the bench at this Women’s World Cup. And that must change come Sunday.

Renuka’s greatest strength is her propensity to swing the new ball. She has developed a delivery that goes away/holds its line recently, but her stock ball remains the one that jags back in, both in the air and off the pitch.

A closer look at some of England’s top order’s stats further highlights how crucial Renuka could be. Beaumont, for all the runs she has scored, remains a prime lbw candidate, and also gets bowled quite regularly, largely because of how she falls across and then has to play around her front pad.

She has been dismissed 113 times in women’s ODIs, and 54 of them have been via these two avenues (28 lbw, 26 bowled). Since the start of 2024, the numbers are even more skewed. Of the 22 times she has been dismissed, she has been bowled eight times, and been trapped lbw on seven other occasions.

Beaumont has also been dismissed eight times by Jhulan Goswami, five times by Marizanne Kapp, four times by Megan Schutt and thrice each by Ayabonga Khaka and Shikha Pandey – all of who can nip the ball back in sharply.

Knight, who somehow survived Marufa’s early onslaught, does not have a great record against the likes of Kapp, Khaka and Schutt either, which may just be a coincidence, but based on what has happened in recent days, could also be a pattern, given she has appeared far more skittish when starting off.

Jones, who only returned to the top of the order earlier in the year, has a tendency to fall across too, much like Beaumont, and was bowled by Fatima, and trapped lbw by Marufa. Alice Capsey and Emma Lamb, meanwhile, opt to stay leg side of the ball, meaning they often leave a gap between bat and pad. Sophia Dunkley is similar, in that she too is susceptible to the incoming ball.

Sciver-Brunt has offered much more resistance, both recently and historically, but if India can make early inroads, and send one or both of Beaumont and Knight back, that would mount the pressure on England’s skipper significantly.

Another ploy India could explore is attacking with left-arm spin with the new ball. Left-arm spin, anyway, has been the vogue at this Women’s World Cup. India have not played it very well. South Africa had a dramatic meltdown against Linsey Smith in the opening week of the tournament. And England have also lost wickets frequently to left-arm spin, as was the case against Inoka Ranaweera, Sadia Iqbal and Sugandika Kumari in recent encounters.

In Shree Charani, India have a bowler who relies on changes of pace, and can skid the ball on with the arm, especially when it is shiny. And that could be particularly handy against Sciver-Brunt, who has been dismissed five times previously in women’s ODIs by Jess Jonassen, similar in style to Charani and her WPL teammate (for now) at the Delhi Capitals.

There is, hence, precedent and plenty of it for India. That India can rattle this English cage, and do so by doing what other Asian sides have so far succeeded in. Though none of those were able to win, India, with their greater experience and pedigree, will fancy their chances. Especially if they can reduce England to 49-2, or 78-5 or 78-7, as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, respectively, did.

Why this match could be decisive 

So far, however, India have tended to trust what they feel is the right combination, and have only fiddled with it when absolute necessary. And there is a school of thought that the very best teams, especially when at the peak of their powers, do not even contemplate what the opposition will throw at them because they are so supremely confident in their own ability and personnel.

But needs must, and the time has perhaps come for India to also look at what the opposition is struggling with, and try and exploit it. Not to mention that a fit and firing Renuka is one of the most potent new-ball bowlers in the world.

There is, of course, no guarantee that England will crumble like a pack of cards when probed by in-swing. Or that they will continue making mistakes against left-arm spin. Especially in Indore, where batting has been the more favourable gig. But there is adequate evidence to suggest that that might be the way forward for India. More so because of the incision they have lacked in recent matches.

If India are brave enough and have the requisite conviction to take what now feels like a necessary detour, is another matter altogether. But if they do end up losing to England, having ignored the numbers, the statistics, the signs, and indeed the visuals of the former world champions huffing and puffing, it might feel like another missed opportunity. A case of what could and perhaps should have been.

And that, unfortunately, would also be emblematic of how this Women’s World Cup campaign has panned out. Only this time, with the potential to be decisive.