India kicked off the three-match ODI series against the West Indies with a win at Vijayawada. It was also the first time that an international game was being played at the ground inaugurated only a day before.
Speaking to the media after the victory, India captain, Mithali Raj said, “The wicket behaved as we expected in the morning. There was little lateral movement and few balls skidded off the wicket a lot in the beginning. When we played in the second innings, the ball was keeping low, but not entirely, (only a) few balls. However, it is a good track to bat on because unless you make a mistake it is very difficult to get a batsman.”
“The spinners didn’t get that big a turn, but then in the second innings one of their off-spinners was getting slight turn maybe because she was bowling with the wind. But it was not the kind of turn that we usually see on Indian wickets. If the bowler is wise and uses different deliveries (variations) using a little bit of pace or using the crease (then) those bowlers are the ones who will probably get wickets or contain the innings,” she said while discussing the wicket further.
While there wasn’t much visible turn in the wicket, India’s left-arm spinners, Ekta Bisht and Rajeshwari Gayakwad claimed seven wickets between them to peg back the opposition and set up the game for the hosts. Bisht wrecked the top-order, while the other ran through the lower half.
Discussing her plan and advise to her spinners when she introduced them into the attack, Mithali explained, “There were a few times when we started, like when the spinners came in to the attack, that the ball was not entirely new but since they came after ten overs, the ball did have a little bit of shine on it. Since Ekta is one of those very intelligent bowlers, she has armer (the arm ball) so I told her to use that in the initial overs itself. It may not turn as much but (if you) attack the stumps and try and bowl a little flatter rather than tossing it up (it will help).
While her bowlers had bowled the West Indies out for a sub-par score, the visitors had also claimed early wickets to leave India struggling on 36 for four. Batting with Veda Krishnamurthy, the skipper then led India across the finish line.
Discussing their 97-run unbroken stand, Mithali elaborated, “Fortunately, we have played for the same side in Challenger Trophy and we were in a similar situation there as well. She is now used to playing alongside me. I try and explain to her how to build partnership, how to build an innings. We had pulled the match through then and we did that today as well. Even today all I told her was to be patient, because we had lost three top wickets and ours was the only recognised batting pair. It was then up to Jhulan (Goswami) and the middle-lower order.”
While they did pull off a win, the top-order remains a concern for the side. Speaking about it, she said, “It has been that way, but we can only be optimistic that the girls will at some point give us the right opening stand and or the top order at some point, will give us the kind of innings that we look up to when we play at this level.”
Explaining the move to open with Deepti Sharma, she said, “Deepti is a good off spinner and a youngster in the side. In the Challenger Trophy, I have seen her play against my side and found her quite compact. Now she seems to be a very confident player (as compared) to what she was in the series against New Zealand and I think this is the time when I can actually give her more confidence to mould her into one of those players who will play a key role into our World Cup (campaign). These are the matches where if we want to give confidence to young players, we need to back them.”
