Mandhana, who hasn't had a good outing with the bat so far, notching up scores of 21, 13, 7 and 5 in the T20I series which India won 3-1, now remains uncertain for the Indian women's team tour of the West Indies
Indian women cricket team's opener Smriti Mandhana was on Tuesday, ruled out of the ODI series against South Africa Women, starting 9 October at Vadodara. While Mandhana is said to have suffered a fracture on her right toe during a practice session — as per a report by Cricbuzz — the extent of the injury is yet to be confirmed by the team management.
File image of Smriti Mandhana. Image credit: Twitter/@WHITE_FERNS
"The call will be taken after assessment by the physios in the NCA and we'll take it as it comes along. It's difficult to fix a timeline right away. She still needs to get an MRI done, for that the swelling has to reduce. So once that is done, an assessment will be done by the head physio at NCA," WV Raman, the head coach of the Indian women's team, said.
Mandhana didn't have the best of time with the bat against South Africa, notching up scores of 21, 13, 7 and 5, in the T20I series which India won 3-1.
While the team does have a reserve opener in the form of Priya Punia, the team management has drafted in all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar as Mandhana's replacement in the squad.
ODI skipper Mithali Raj too, added that the series will be a perfect opportunity for the team to test their bench strength ahead of more crucial matches and give new players a chance to come good. "It is an opportunity for someone like Priya Punia to utilise it. It's also an opportunity for the team to give a new player a chance," said Raj on the eve of the first ODI.
Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.
Ireland need to do better in both the batting and bowling department. Their bowlers leaked runs against New Zealand, while their batters could rarely cross the 30-run mark in the encounters.
Deandra Dottin is currently representing Barbados at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Rohit Sharma maintained his unbeaten record as captain in bilateral T20Is after India made short work of West Indies by 59 runs to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series