India's ODI batting line-up, far too reliant on Smriti Mandhana once upon a time, has started to look complete with collective contributions, writes Sarah Waris.
The first ODI against South Africa in Bengaluru in June last year highlighted just how heavily India relied on Smriti Mandhana. Batting first, they lost Shafali Verma early, with Dayalan Hemalatha, at three, following her before the powerplay ended. The collapse continued, and at 99 for 5 in 21.5 overs, the ODI series seemed set to begin in disaster. But there was Mandhana, once again, holding fort. She battled through probing spells, still managing to score at close to a run a ball, and finished with 117 in an innings where none of the other top five crossed 20. Contributions from Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar propelled India to 265, a total that, at one stage, appeared impossible, and one that proved match-winning in the end.
Matches like these were not isolated. With Mithali Raj’s retirement in 2022, the onus fell on Mandhana to be the central pillar. The left-hander became the face of Indian batting, her consistency matched by an ease of technique that made her invaluable. The other senior player, Harmanpreet Kaur, was around too, but her returns were streakier, and Mandhana emerged as the more reliable figure. The numbers underline that dominance. Between January 2023 and the end of August in 2024, Mandhana was the only Indian to score more than 500 ODI runs, one of two to register a century, and the only one to hit more than one. She averaged 64 in that period, with two fifties, and her strike rate of 92.75 emphasised how commanding she was.
In the same stretch, only Jemimah Rodrigues managed over 200 runs at an average beyond 35. Harmanpreet’s 243 runs in nine matches were boosted by a century against South Africa, but consistency remained elusive. The rest were peripheral, unable to string together the kind of scores expected at the international level.
India were still grappling with scars of the 2022 World Cup, where they failed to progress beyond the group stage. Aside from Mandhana and Harmanpreet, no one else crossed 200 runs in that campaign. The batting order resembled a revolving door, with Deepti's case summing it up best: she batted at No.3 in the opener against Pakistan and was down to No.9 by the final group game. Such chopping and changing pointed to uncertainty as much as it did to a lack of faith in the line-up.
Plans begin for 2025: Proper planning, changed approaches
For the 2025 edition at home, the task was clearer: find a batting unit they could trust across conditions and opponents. The first major call was to move on from the underperforming Shafali Verma. Once a teenage sensation known for audacious strokeplay, her returns had withered, her attacking instincts blunted. In her place came Pratika Rawal, and the decision has paid off handsomely. She has made a record start to her career, offering the stability India long craved at the top.
Finding a dependable No.3 was another piece of the puzzle. Between 2023 and mid-2024, four players were given short stints in the role, none lasting beyond three games. It was only from September last year that Harleen Deol, previously overlooked for the role, cemented the position. Since then, she has compiled 659 runs with a hundred and two fifties, providing assurance at first drop. With Mandhana alongside Rawal at the top, India’s top three finally carried a structure it had long missed.
The middle order also needed sorting. Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet occupied the No.4 and No.5 slots, but their contributions veered between match-winning and inconsequential. Harmanpreet’s average of 30 and strike rate of 81.54 were underwhelming; since September, however, her strike rate has jumped close to 100, bringing the urgency India demanded.
Depth, too, was addressed. From January 2023 to August 2024, India’s Nos.7 and 8 averaged just 12. In the last year, that has risen to 20.52. A fixed role has helped Deepti at No.7: she now averages 50.50 in 23 games, with a strike rate of 95.46 and three fifties, a stark rise from her career rate of 69.35. Deepti has batted at all positions from No.1-9 in her career, but in the last year, she has been primarily deployed at No.7, and the clarity has worked wonders for both her and India. Richa Ghosh, who was the only middle-order batter to make over 150 runs and strike over 90 between January 2023 and August 2024, has now found allies in the power-hitting department, easing the pressure on her.
Sneh Rana’s comeback has also strengthened the lower order. More than just an astute bowler, her ability to score at pace - she has been striking at 104 from No.9 and 10 since returning - has added layers to India’s batting.
The effect of these recalibrations has been clear. Since September 2024, six batters have scored more than 500 ODI runs, with Richa not far behind at 429. Three of them average over 50, and among those who don’t, two strike at 100. Harleen’s average of 35 at a strike rate of 80 makes her the anchor at No.3. Mandhana manages both - an average of 57 and a strike rate of 106 - while Rawal offers steadiness at the top with a strike rate of 84. It is a combination that, at last, seems to fit together. From India’s top five collectively averaging 36.14 in the above period at a strike rate of 82, to now taking that over 42 and hitting at 95.22 in the last year, the difference has been huge.
The shift was most visible in the recent ODI against Australia. Set a monumental 412 to win, India were expected to falter. But Mandhana had other ideas, racing to a 50-ball hundred, the fastest by any Indian in the format. This time, though, she wasn’t alone. Harmanpreet’s 58-ball 72 kept the chase alive, ensuring momentum never dipped. When both fell in quick succession, the game seemed gone, but Deepti battled for her own 72 from 58, with support from Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, and Rana at No.9, who struck 35. India eventually lost by 43 runs, but the narrative had shifted.
This was not about the result. It was about intent, about having the belief to chase a total that has never been breached without flinching, and about a batting line-up willing to stand up collectively. For so long, we were accustomed to seeing the pursuit ending before it began. This time, the resistance stretched deep into the innings.
India head into the 2025 World Cup on the back of a series defeat to Australia, but with the assurance of a side that has filled gaps and redefined roles. No more lone warriors, no brittle middle orders, with batters who can complement each other and shape matches on their own terms. The groundwork has been laid, the progress is visible, and for the first time in, maybe ever, India’s batting unit appears close to complete.
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