In their quest to avoid an embarrassing series defeat, the struggling Indian batters will face the challenge of adapting to a slow surface as they take on Bangladesh in the second women's ODI on Wednesday.
Throughout the Bangladesh tour, Indian batters have found it difficult to deal with spinners, particularly leg-break bowlers. With the momentum and belief gained from a historic win in the first ODI, after their win in the last match of the T20I series, Bangladesh now have the opportunity to secure a famous series win over India.
As India prepare for the upcoming World Cup in Bangladesh next year, it is crucial for them to learn how to accumulate runs on pitches where the ball doesn't come onto the bat easily.
So far on this tour, the Indian team has faced collective failures, although they managed to win the T20 series somehow. Star batter Smriti Mandhana has been a major disappointment, while Priya Punia, who replaced Shafali Verma for the ODI series opener, struggled in her comeback.
Both Yastika Bhatia and Jemimah Rodrigues have faced difficulties in rotating the strike, adding extra pressure on themselves. With the absence of Richa Ghosh, no one has been able to fill the finisher's role, leading to a struggle in finding boundaries.
(AI image)
On a positive note, Amanjot Kaur, who bowled well in the previous match, has an opportunity to make an impact with the bat and provide India with a much-needed finishing option.
Despite the challenges faced by the Indian team, bowling coach Rajib Datta has emphasized that there is no need to panic at this stage.
"There is no need to be disappointed. The team did not execute its plans the way it wanted to. It is a team in transition phase and looking at combinations for the World Cup (next year)," he said.
(With agency inputs)
