As the countdown to the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 gathers momentum, former Australian captain Meg Lanning has offered her assessment of the Indian team, identifying two players who, in her eyes, will hold the key to India’s campaign.
Speaking in a video feature shared by ICC, Lanning didn’t mince her words about the match-winning potential of opener Smriti Mandhana and the all-round versatility of Deepti Sharma.
“The most dangerous batter for India is- Smriti Mandhana. She can really take the game on, but she can really take the game fully away from you by batting for long periods of time and playing those match-winning innings,” Lanning said, highlighting Mandhana’s ability to dictate terms against any opposition.
The praise is no surprise. Mandhana has been India’s batting backbone for close to a decade, amassing 4888 runs in ODIs with the highest score of 136. She recently underlined her class in the third ODI against Australia, where she produced a stunning unbeaten 101*, guiding India to a memorable victory.
In the same match, she also etched her name into history books by becoming the first Indian to smash the fastest ODI half-century, racing to 50 in just 23 balls. Her partnerships have also been crucial to India’s success, her record 167-run stand with Pratika Rawal remains one of the highest for India in ODIs.
For Lanning, Mandhana represents the perfect blend of elegance and explosiveness. “She can bat for long periods of time, but also switch gears instantly, and that’s what makes her dangerous,” she noted. In conditions expected during the 2025 World Cup, where surfaces could aid stroke-making once set, Mandhana’s ability to accelerate after laying a foundation could prove decisive.
But batting threats alone do not define India. Lanning also singled out India’s premier all-rounder Deepti Sharma as a player who could turn matches with both bat and ball.
“The most dangerous bowler for India is Deepti Sharma, because she can bowl at different phases of the innings, she’s shown she can bowl in the powerplay, and then hold things tight in the middle as well, and I think bowlers who can do that can be very useful in those conditions, especially,” Lanning remarked.
Sharma’s numbers back that assessment. With 140 wickets in ODIs, including a career-best 6/20, she has proved time and again that she is India’s go-to bowler in pressure situations. Her ability to bowl in multiple phases, whether stifling batters early on or tying them down in the middle overs adds immense value to the Indian attack.
Beyond her bowling, Sharma’s contributions with the bat cannot be ignored. She has accumulated 2524 ODI runs, with the highest score of 188, establishing herself as one of the finest all-format all-rounders in the women’s game.
As Lanning’s assessment suggests, India’s hopes at the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup will hinge heavily on this duo. Mandhana, with her fearless batting at the top, and Deepti, with her all-round brilliance, embody the new era of Indian women’s cricket- bold, versatile, and match-ready.
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