Zimbabwe elect to bat as Mandhana's India open ODI series with a debutant
Zimbabwe Women won the toss and chose to bat first in the opening ODI against India at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara, on Friday. The first ball was due at 2 pm IST. The match starts a three-game series, and it is Smriti Mandhana's first ODI assignment as India's new captain.
Zimbabwe have changed their leadership for the day. Regular skipper Josephine Nkomo is out with a niggle, so Nomvelo Sibanda leads the side as stand-in captain. Sibanda said at the toss that her team wanted to post a decent total. She also said they wanted to carry the positives from the earlier games into this series.
Mandhana said India would also have batted first. She felt the overhead conditions suited batting, but was pleased that her bowlers and batters would now know what they have to chase. She noted that the surface is red soil, which is closer to the traditional Baroda wicket. The venue hosted Women's Premier League games on black soil, and Mandhana said it is a different surface this time.
The biggest talking point in the Indian camp is the debut of all-rounder Jintimani Kalita. The Assam player came into the squad only on Thursday. She replaced seamer Renuka Singh, who was ruled out because she is still building the workload she needs for 50-over cricket. Mandhana called Kalita an exciting prospect and pointed to her good showing in the recent India A series. Mandhana also said India have made several changes from the XI that played the T20Is.
India come into the series in a strong position. They swept the preceding three-match T20I series 3-0 and have won all three of the ODI captain's first games so far, so Mandhana has made a flawless start to her reign. They are also the reigning ODI world champions, which makes them clear favourites in this contest. The T20I series was played over roughly a week, so the squad has barely had a break before switching to the longer format.
The ODI leg is a different test from the T20Is. A 50-over game rewards patience and depth, and that is where Zimbabwe's batting will be tested by India's spinners. In the T20Is, Zimbabwe off-spinning all-rounder Nyasha Gwanzura was among their more impressive performers, and her control in the middle overs could matter again. Beloved Biza is another Zimbabwe batter to watch. She was among the runs for them in their ODIs against Pakistan earlier this year.
For India, the series is also a chance to widen the squad pool. Bringing in a debutant and blending in players who have been away from the side shows the team management is using these games to build depth. Selectors will want to see how the bench copes with the pressure of an international 50-over game, with the sport's bigger tournaments always on the horizon.
Zimbabwe's ODI record against stronger sides has been difficult. They lost a three-match ODI series to Pakistan 3-0 earlier this year. Even so, a decision to bat first suggests they intend to use the fresh surface and put India under some scoreboard pressure rather than chase.
The next two ODIs follow in the same series, and India will look to take an early lead before turning to experiments. For now, all eyes are on how Zimbabwe's top order handles the new ball and how Kalita starts her international career.