If you keep making tactical mistakes, one after another, you’re going to get exposed — it’s inevitable. Against less-established teams, you might scrape through, your flaws masked by the opposition’s inexperience. But against a side like Australia? There’s no hiding. And on Sunday in Visakhapatnam, India learnt that the hard way, slumping to a three-wicket defeat that felt entirely avoidable.

It’s no secret — Australia don’t give you an inch. They’re relentless, resilient, and ruthless. Even when they’re down, they find a way to claw back. That’s the kind of opponent India were up against, and yet, the approach was bafflingly casual. The tactics lacked clarity, the decision-making was questionable, and key moments were let slip without a fight.

This wasn’t just a case of getting outplayed — it was a case of India letting themselves down. The errors weren’t forced; they were unforced. The planning wasn’t just flawed; it was absent when it mattered most. And at this level, especially against a side like Australia, that’s simply not good enough.

Why no Renuka Singh?

There was a lot of talk before the tournament about Renuka Singh — how she could be India’s trump card with the new ball. But, surprise surprise, she’s featured in just one game so far. And to this day, no one really knows what went wrong in her only outing — a spell of 10-1-29-0 against Pakistan in Colombo. Solid figures by any standard. So what exactly did she do wrong to warrant being dropped against teams like South Africa and Australia?

Instead, India went in with Amanjot Kaur and Kranti Goud. Now, nothing against either of them — but Amanjot isn’t a genuine pacer, and Kranti is still raw, just starting out at this level. In a match where India was defending 330, Renuka’s experience with the new ball could have been invaluable. She’s been that go-to bowler for early breakthroughs over the years — the kind you count on in high-pressure games.

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But without her, the attack lacked bite. Amanjot and Kranti together conceded 141 runs in 18 overs — a telling number. It wasn’t just about runs; it was about presence, control, and experience. And on all those fronts, India missed Renuka — badly.

India miss the Radha-Harleen trick

Ahead of the clash against India, Australia had visibly struggled against leg-spinners and left-arm orthodox bowlers — something that was clear from their outings against Amelia Kerr, Nashra Sandhu, and Sadia Iqbal. Yet, India seemed to ignore that pattern. Sure, they didn’t pick Renuka — that’s one debate — but then why not at least bring in Radha Yadav?

Instead, they stuck with a lineup that left out a proven left-arm spinner, despite Australia’s known weakness. Sree Charani did her job well, finishing with 10-1-41-3, but it does make you wonder — what could Radha have done on that pitch, against that lineup?

Another recurring issue for India has been their sixth bowling option. In crunch games against South Africa and Australia, they turned to Harmanpreet Kaur. But her off-spin is stylistically similar to what Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma already offer — more of the same, rather than variety.

IND vs AUS, Women’s World Cup 2025: Highlights | Scorecard

And here’s the thing — Harleen Deol was available. She’s a leg-spinner, exactly the kind of bowler Australia has been uncomfortable against. She’s bowled 33 overs in internationals and picked up eight wickets. That’s not negligible. Who knows? If Harleen had been given a chance, she might have been India’s woman with the golden arm — the surprise element they badly needed.

Richa’s keeping woes continue

It’s clear that if India are to stage a meaningful comeback in the tournament, Richa Ghosh must significantly improve her wicketkeeping. Her struggles behind the stumps are no longer isolated incidents — they’re a pattern. Against Pakistan, Richa dropped Sidra Amin not once, but twice. Fortunately for India, those mistakes didn’t prove costly, largely because Pakistan aren’t among the strongest sides in the competition.

But the same errors resurfaced against Australia — and this time, they were harder to ignore. In the 10th over of Australia’s chase, Richa missed a clear stumping chance off Amanjot Kaur. She misread an off-cutter and fumbled what should have been a straightforward dismissal.

While Litchfield was eventually removed by Sree Charani a couple of overs later, that doesn’t excuse the lapse. At this level, against teams like Australia, missed chances can — and often do — define matches.

There’s no question about Richa’s value with the bat — she’s been one of India’s standout performers in that department. But her work with the gloves has been, frankly, shambolic. And unless that improves, India will continue to pay the price in crucial moments.

Middle order batting still a concern

India’s batting has been far from consistent this tournament, but on Sunday, there was finally something to build on. A total of 331 marked an improvement, thanks largely to a strong 155-run stand between Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal in just 24.3 overs. And with Richa Ghosh and Jemimah Rodrigues at the crease, India looked set to breach the 350-run mark with ease.

But what followed was a familiar collapse — one that turned a commanding position into a missed opportunity. From 294 for 4 in the 43rd over, India lost their last six wickets for just 36 runs. Worse still, they didn’t even bat out the full 50 overs, falling seven balls short. At a time when the scoring rate needed to jump to 8 or 9 an over, they struggled to maintain even a run-a-ball.

India now have a week to regroup before facing England in Indore. Back-to-back losses have dented momentum, but not hope. The road to a comeback is still open — but only if India are willing to ask tough questions, and find smarter answers.

– Ends

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