The hosts suffered a massive blow even before the series began, with their ODI skipper Harmanpreet Kaur being ruled out of the ODIs with an ankle injury. Harleen Deol has been called up as her replacement, though it is uncertain whether she will be in the starting XI.
The English team on the other hand, will be high on confidence after the return of Sarah Taylor and Katherine Brunt in the side. While the former missed the World T20 Cup due to personal reasons, the latter was injured and could not make it in time for the event.
India will be riding high on confidence after defeating New Zealand last month Down Under, and the form of Smriti Mandhana will boost them further. The youngster is in the form of her life and recently even won the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year award, and she will be eager to carry forward her form against a dangerous English unit. However, the visitors cannot be ruled out, as they have a number of dangerous players in the ranks. Hence, an exciting battle is what awaits, with the visitors just about having the edge.
Player Recommendations:
Wicket-keeper: Sarah Taylor (9.5 credits)
Picking Taylor in the team is a no-brainer. Not only does India's keeper Taniya Bhatia bat way down the order, which reduces her point-earning ability, but the destructive power of Taylor's willow means she is a must-pick. The English star will be raring to go after missing a lot of action,
The hosts suffered a massive blow even before the series began, with their ODI skipper Harmanpreet Kaur being ruled out of the ODIs with an ankle injury. Harleen Deol has been called up as her replacement, though it is uncertain whether she will be in the starting XI.
The English team on the other hand, will be high on confidence after the return of Sarah Taylor and Katherine Brunt in the side. While the former missed the World T20 Cup due to personal reasons, the latter was injured and could not make it in time for the event.
India will be riding high on confidence after defeating New Zealand last month Down Under, and the form of Smriti Mandhana will boost them further. The youngster is in the form of her life and recently even won the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year award, and she will be eager to carry forward her form against a dangerous English unit. However, the visitors cannot be ruled out, as they have a number of dangerous players in the ranks. Hence, an exciting battle is what awaits, with the visitors just about having the edge.
Player Recommendations:
Wicket-keeper: Sarah Taylor (9.5 credits)
Picking Taylor in the team is a no-brainer. Not only does India's keeper Taniya Bhatia bat way down the order, which reduces her point-earning ability, but the destructive power of Taylor's willow means she is a must-pick. The English star will be raring to go after missing a lot of action, and with the Wankhede Stadium known for its short boundaries, the keeper could make a memorable comeback.
Batsman: Smriti Mandhana (10.5 credits)
Mandhana was in fine form against the New Zealand side and hardly looked iffy against a strong bowling line-up in swinging conditions. Hence on familiar territory, Mandhana will be eager to latch on to her chances. In the absence of Harmanpreet, the star will have a lot of responsibility. With India's batting struggling in the recent past, Mandhana will have to power on and play a match-defining knock.
All-rounder: Natalie Sciver (9.5 credits)
The all-rounder is a very crucial member of the team, as she can contribute with both bat and ball and change the game with her heroics. In ODIS=s, Sciver bats with a strike-rate of more than 100, and though she just has two hundreds to her name, her quick-fire cameos at times is of more importance. With the ball in hand, the Surrey star manages to bowl economically and can be called upon for breaking partnerships.
Bowler: Anya Shrubsole (9 credits)
Shrubsole picked up 4-wickets in the practice game against Board President's XI and has the knack of picking up early wickets even in hostile conditions. Though the pitch in Mumbai will be on the slower side, Shrubsole, who was the star for England in the World Cup finals against India in 2017, has the capability to wreak havoc. With only Rodrigues, Mandhana and Raj from the opposition camp looking dangerous, Shrubsole will look to dismiss the in-form players before packing up the rest of the players.
Captain: Sarah Taylor
Vice-captain: Natalie Sciver
