India will begin their Women’s T20 Asia Cup campaign on Friday as former head coach W.V. Raman backed the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side to triumph in the tournament. India had a disappointing campaign in the ICC T20 World Cup and crashed out in the group stage. Raman feels that results can push the team to respond strongly. He believes India have enough quality.
“I think that will spur them on to try and regain the Asia Cup because they are smarting from a performance that was unexpected given the squad and the expectations that everybody had,” said Raman. He feels the players will respond. For India, the tournament now comes when they need consistency in T20Is. Raman believes the Asia Cup can give the team a chance to move forward after the World Cup setback.
“I think this is a tournament that they will win because they have the wherewithal. This will also be a chance for them to start preparations for the next T20 World Cup.” Raman’s confidence in India comes despite the team’s struggles in the shortest format. India won the ODI World Cup last year, but their T20I performances have been inconsistent. Raman feels the players now need to come together and perform as one unit in the Asia Cup.
Raman also looked at India’s squad and pointed to the absence of Jemimah Rodrigues. He feels the batting looks slightly weak compared to the World Cup squad because of her absence. He also felt India could have considered adding a couple of new medium-pacers. Instead, the team has gone heavily with spinners, while Bharti Fulmali has returned to the squad and will need to prove her credentials.
“Maybe they could have thought of bringing in a couple of new medium-pacers, but that hasn’t happened. They’ve gone in heavily with spinners. You have Bharti Fulmali coming back, and she’s yet to prove her credentials, even though she’s got the reputation of being a big hitter of a cricket ball,” he added. Raman’s comments show the areas he feels India could have strengthened. He also pointed to the need for players to make their opportunities count as the team prepares for the continental event.
Raman believes Deepti Sharma can make a bigger contribution with the bat. He feels she has the ability to score more runs because she has shown that side of her game in other leagues across the world. He also suggested a change in Harmanpreet Kaur’s batting position. Raman feels that batting at No. 3 could give the captain more time at the crease and help her pace her innings better.
“I have felt that Deepti Sharma has to deliver more as a batter because she’s got the ability. She does that in other leagues across the world. Also, maybe Harmanpreet can bat at No. 3. If she can get more time, it will help her pace her innings better. It’s just a question of them succeeding as a unit. I think that’s what has not, perhaps, happened,” said Raman. His main concern is that India have not yet found the consistency needed as a team in T20Is.
The Women’s T20 Asia Cup now gives India a chance to put their earlier disappointment behind them. Raman has backed Harmanpreet’s side to win the tournament and believes the competition can begin their preparations for the next T20 World Cup. His focus is on India finding the right balance, getting important contributions from their key players and, most importantly, succeeding as a unit when the tournament begins.
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