Former Indian captain Anjum Chopra shared her insights on India’s number 3 batting position, suggesting that the Indian skipper should take the spot for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup. She further questioned whether India had shown real progress, emphasizing that the team lost the Asia Cup final due to their failure to address key issues, highlighting the bowling lineup as ‘penetrative’. Chopra also expressed concerns about selection choices and the overall performance, especially on the ‘A’ team’s ongoing tour of Australia.
Reflecting on India’s recent performance and finding recent changes in batting position three. She said that Harmanpreet Kaur possesses the range of shots required to dominate a game and suggested that she should bat at no. 3 as India prepares for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. Anjum has consistently advocated for Harmanpreet to play at this position and has even conveyed this to her directly, while also acknowledging that the final decision depends on the match scenario and the player’s comfort.
Anjum Chopra expressed, “I’ve always felt that Harman should play at No. 3. I’ve told her also. But of course, depending upon the scenario, and every player’s comfort is (also) there.”
Anjum further elaborated on her view by highlighting that Harmanpreet Kaur is a player capable of controlling the game and would benefit from having more time at the crease by batting higher in the order, rather than coming in later and being forced to swing her bat. She questioned why India would want to reduce the number of deliveries Harmanpreet faces.
Reflecting on India’s recent performance, she mentioned that even if India had won the Asia Cup, the victory might have been taken for granted. However, the loss served as a necessary wake-up call, not in a negative sense but as a reminder of the importance of being challenged. She pointed out the lack of challenge for the Indian team until the Asia Cup final as the reason behind the loss in the final, emphasizing that when Sri Lanka posed a challenge, especially after their win against Pakistan in the semifinal, they were a team riding high on confidence.
She asserted, “Even if they have won this Asia Cup, it would have been like ‘Oh, we are a better team’. But because they didn’t, they got a wake-up call and I am hoping it is a wake-up call. Not in a bad way but in a good way.”
Continuing on the Asia Cup final, Anjum reflected on Sri Lanka’s remarkable comeback during a challenging moment in their match, particularly after Vishmi Gunaratne was run out due to a mix-up with Chamari Athapaththu, and then lost another wicket shortly after. She praised Sri Lanka for bouncing back and winning convincingly despite the setback, describing it as a significant achievement.
Comparing India’s recent performances, she noted that while India had been challenged in series against England, Australia, and South Africa, their progress had been inconsistent. Chopra highlighted Sri Lanka’s rapid improvement despite their challenges, including missing out on the 2022 World Cup due to lack of cricket during the pandemic. She questioned whether India had shown similar advancement and emphasized that India lost the Asia Cup final because they were still not addressing the key issues that led to their defeat.
Anjum appreciates Sri Lanka’s efforts by expressing, “Once (Vishmi) Gunaratne was run out in confusion with (Chamari) Athapaththu and then the second wicket fell, I thought they are missing on the barrel. But for Sri Lanka to bounce out of that situation and win convincingly, that was a high.”
Anjum further discussed the challenges faced by the Indian women’s cricket team, drawing a comparison to the men’s team. She highlighted that while the men’s team boasts world-class bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami, this level of quality was not achieved overnight. She acknowledged that the women’s team is currently limited by resources and options, especially in the bowling department. Chopra emphasized that the women’s team often plays with only five bowlers, and when one of them has an off day, it puts the team at a disadvantage. She pointed out that the team lacks a ‘penetrative’ bowling lineup, partly due to injuries or a drop in skill levels among some players. Despite having a good bowling lineup, she believes it is not yet at the level needed to dominate globally.
While reflecting on the reasons Anjum said, “Maybe we don’t have the options. Maybe because players are injured, they are not there. Maybe the skill level has dropped for all those players who are injured or whether they’ve dropped off the radar. We do have a good bowling line-up, but we don’t have a penetrative bowling line-up.”
Chopra also expressed concerns and raised questions about the selection choices and performance of the Indian women’s cricket team, on their ongoing tour of Australia. She questioned why certain players like Meghana Singh, who hasn’t been considered for the Indian team, are playing in Australia while promising talents like Titas Sadhu and Sobhana Asha are not included in the India A squad. Chopra also wondered why Jemimah Rodrigues, who could have benefited from the experience, was not part of the team playing in Australia, especially after she opted out of ‘The Hundred’ in England. With Australian vice-captain Tahlia McGrath leading Australia A, she emphasized the absence of frontline India players from the ongoing series against Australia ‘A’, citing the presence of Tahlia McGrath. Chopra stressed the need for a reassessment of India’s team combination, calling for more all-rounders, additional bowling options, and agile fielders to strengthen the squad.
Anjum emphasized, “We need to do a bit of our combination reassessment again and hope that a few players come into this lineup as options. We definitely need all-rounders; more bowling options and we definitely need agile fielders as well.”
(Quotes sourced from PTI)