India captain Harmanpreet Kaur believes her side is building strong momentum ahead of the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, with the tour of South Africa offering a crucial opportunity to fine-tune combinations and test bench strength.
Speaking ahead of the five-match series in South Africa, Harmanpreet pointed to the confidence within the Indian camp following a successful run in white-ball cricket. With an ODI World Cup title and a T20 series win in Australia behind them, she said the team is entering the series with momentum and clarity of purpose. “Yeah definitely, I think after the ODI World Cup, the team is looking quite confident. Wherever we are going we are going with full of confidence and we have seen that you know, playing against in Australia, against Australia and I think yeah, team is looking in good shape and before the World Cup, South Africa series is very important for us and hopefully here also we will play our best cricket.”
India are aware of the challenge posed by South Africa, who have emerged as one of the strongest T20 sides in recent years. Harmanpreet acknowledged their consistency and depth, particularly the presence of impactful all-rounders who provide balance to the side. “South Africa team is, I feel it’s a quite balanced side. They have very good players, they have, you know, good all-rounders who always come up when the team needs. So I think in the T20 format you always need good all-rounders, and they have really good ones.”
The conditions in Durban, where the team has already trained, are expected to test India’s adaptability. While the weather may feel familiar, Harmanpreet noted that pitch conditions differ from those in India, making early adjustments crucial. The team has begun fine-tuning its approach during training sessions, with a focus on understanding surface behaviour and building combinations accordingly.
A major focus for India in this series will be squad rotation and giving opportunities to players across categories. With the World Cup approaching, the management is keen to ensure that every player is match-ready and confident heading into the tournament. “I think giving opportunity to all the players because before the World Cup, these series are very important where, you know, all the players should get equal opportunity so that when we enter the World Cup we should feel, you know, we are ready with all the players.”
The tour also provides a platform for emerging talents to gain valuable international exposure. Harmanpreet spoke about the inclusion of young players such as Anushka Sharma and Kashvee Gautam, highlighting their all-round abilities and the importance of integrating them into the squad environment. She stressed that these selections are part of a broader strategy to build depth, especially in light of injuries and the need to adapt to different conditions.
The captain also addressed questions around team combinations and, particularly in the bowling department and why Vaishnavi Sharma was left out. She explained that selections are being influenced by South African conditions, where additional pace options are often necessary, while maintaining a strong spin core that has been consistent for India.
In terms of recent results, Harmanpreet acknowledged that while India did not perform as expected in Tests and ODIs on their last tour, the focus remains firmly on the T20 format. The team has used those experiences as learning opportunities while keeping its sights set on the bigger picture. “Yeah definitely, look sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but it’s very important you know what is coming forward and keep your focus on that. So yeah, I mean our main focus was T20… the main task is the T20 World Cup and before the T20 World Cup we want to play really good cricket to get our confidence back again.”
She also took a moment to praise senior all-rounder Deepti Sharma, who was recently named the Wisden’s leading cricketer of the year. Harmanpreet noted that such achievements not only boost individual confidence but also inspire younger players within the squad, reinforcing a positive and competitive environment.
As India prepares to take on South Africa, the series represents more than just another bilateral contest. It is a critical opportunity to test combinations, integrate new talent, and build momentum at a crucial juncture in the team’s World Cup journey.
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