With the T20 series between India A women and Australia A women is set to begin on Wednesday at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay, India A Women captain Minnu Mani reflects on the T20 series and believes the team will put a better performance in the ODI series.
“All players did well and still we need to improve and we need to play a little more better (in the coming) games. But getting a chance to play against Australia, this is a wonderful opportunity. The first two games were a little close and (in) last match we were not up to the mark.”
“We all sat together, we discussed what are the things we can do better for coming one days. I hope we will do better in one days. We all really gelled well enough and all are in a good mood to go for the ODIs as one unit. Though we lost the ODIs, it didn’t affect our morale,” said Minnu in a virtual interaction.
Asked if there were chats of her with the senior women’s teams think tank on what has expected out of players on the A tour, Minnu Mani said, “Nothing, nothing. We had a four-day camp before coming here in Bengaluru, and other than that, nothing else.”
“We are here to explore our cricket and know (how to play in) the different conditions. I think everyone will get a chance to play their game. So nothing much, just we are experiencing the different conditions and different situations and everything.”
Minnu who played four T20Is last year scored 22 and 17 not out in two T20 games, apart from taking two wickets collectively against Australia A. The all-rounder feels she needs to step up her game in the coming matches of the tour as the side’s leader.
“For me, I think whatever the chance I got, I think I used it well. Even (in) the last match also, we were lacking (in) our batting. So that time also I could contribute for my team some runs.”
“It is a great learning experience for us to play here in different conditions. We are getting better as the matches come. So as a captain, I feel I should contribute for the team. Whatever the situation, that doesn’t matter, but I should show the responsibility.”
Uma Chetry got to bat at that position just once in the T20 games in Australia. Kiran Navgire has some chances to get in the top order of the batting lineup during the WPL 2024, hasn’t got many chances there. Minnu said the team will be trying to fit in the various positions.
“Actually, we are giving them different responsibilities, different positions. Like, how they can come up with a good mindset and how well they can do better, and (at) which slots each batter can play better. So we are just giving them different scenarios and different situations. That’s it; other than that, nothing else.”
Kiran was impressive in the third T20 at Allan Border, where she top-scored 38 runs on 20 balls, to lend some respectability to the batting scorecard of India A. “I think she is the one player who can hit big (boundaries).
In this T20s also, she showed that she can bat anywhere in the team and she can score runs also. So for us, this is a big advantage, like wherever we can use her as a batter, which is a very big effort,” concluded Minnu Mani.
The Indian Women’s A team gears up for the One-day series, Mani expressed their confidence in their preparation, stating that the team has adapted well to the Australian conditions. The first One Day Women will be played on August 14 at Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay.
