India Women’s fielding against Australia in the second ODI was below par, admitted head coach Amol Muzumdar and added that fielding remains a work in progress for the hosts who suffered a ninth consecutive series defeat against the Aussies. (Scorecard | As It Happened)
fought h▨ard with the bat after making several errors in the field -- including seven dropped c🎶atches -- in the first half of the match here on Saturday as the visitors got over the line by three runs.
have never൩ lost an ODI series in India, a record which 's side was able to maintain despite Richa G𒆙hosh striking a fabulous 96 off 113 balls with 13 boundaries, after Deepti Sharma returned a five for 38.
“We are in a process of building it up, there is no doubt that our fielding was below p🔯ar,” Muzumdar told the media here at the Wankhede Stadium.
“We dropped about six catches♕. It always happens in a game, even they dropped a few. But having said that, we are still a work in progress. If we get time post this series I'm su༒re we will try and spend a lot of time on fielding and fitness,” Muzumdar said.
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With Ghosh doing a single-handed job towards the end of India's chase, the think tank, perhaps, made another mistake by not sending Pooja Vastr🌳ak🌺ar ahead of Amanjot Kaur as the former had scored a fine 62 not out in the first ODI.
Muzumdar d🌞efended the decision saying that the team looked at Amanjot as a proper all-rounder at No 7 and she was expected to do her part well.
“Amanjot, we play her as a proper all-rounder. Her numbe♍r was at No 7. We stuck to it, we thought that she got a chance in the XI because we believe that she could do the♛ job,” he said.
“Unfortunately, it didn't happen. I don't think there was a need for change in the batting order. At that time, we felt that it was an appr🍸opriate one,” he added.
The I🀅ndia head coach also defended Deepti who struggled to find quick runs towards the end ⛦and her slow approach, perhaps, contributed to the adverse result.
Deepti consumed 36 balls for her unbe🌸aten 24 with just one boundary as she could not accelerate at a𝄹ny point.
“At the end of the day, we can all sit and say ‘oh, (by) three runs! We missed out on three runs!’, but there were about 60꧑0 balls bowled in that. We can always go back and talk about it in hindsight.
“We fell short by three runs but I would not like to na꧑me anyone for the defeat. 𓂃It's just a collective effort. Probably one more shot, or one stop in the field could have done the trick,” he said.
Muzumdar said the team is looking to stick with Ghosh at No 3 for a longer run. “(She played a) fantastic knock — what a knock it was under pressure. At No 3, new positꦬion for her and she's ꦏjust proven why she's been spoken about so high.
“Probably, a hundred would have been an appropriate one for her but unfortunately got caught and it was a special💝 knock.
“Richa has been at No 3. We believe that she can be a good top-order player. We believe in her talent and you've seen what kind of shots she can play and if she can use the first🥂 10 overs and then play according to the situation,” Muzumdar said.
