Jhulan, Mithali need support from other players in respective departments: Ramesh Powar
Jul 15, 2021
Chelmsford [UK], July 15 : India women's cricket team coach Ramesh Powar feels the side has come a "little ahead" compared to where they were in March during the South Africa series.
Sophie Ecclestone picked three wickets before Danielle Wyatt smashed 89 off 56 balls to help England defeat India by eight wickets in the third and final T20I on Wednesday (local time).
With this win, England secured a multi-format victory in the final match of the tour. Wyatt stitched a 112-run partnership with Natalie Sciver to chase down the total of 154 runs with ten balls to spare.
Powar termed Sneh Rana's comeback as inspirational and listed out the positives from the UK tour.
"Sneh Rana coming back after five years and putting on a show is inspirational. There are lot many positives, scoring 154 against the top side, we want to score high in T20Is and ODIs (score 250).
"Fielding has improved, bowling has improved and if you compare to South Africa we have come little ahead and there is a lot of work to be done," Powar said while replying to a query from ANI.
However, the head coach was quick to add that veteran players Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami need support from the other players in the respective departments if India wants to do well in World Cup in 2022.
"We have to have match time, in the fast bowling department there is only Jhulan, there has to be some support to her, then middle overs batting after powerplay in ODIs, that's where strike rotation and little bit conversion from dot balls to runs should be there after you get set," said Powar.
"In Test cricket, there are a lot of things to learn about, still we managed to draw that game. In T20Is we have to score 160 plus, to put some pressure.
"For World Cup in New Zealand we have to have good fast bowlers and the middle overs are where we are trying to get that conversion rate, Mithali is batting very well but she needs support, to get to 250," he added.
England won the T20I leg of the tour 2-1 and sealed a 10-6 series win as Wyatt and Sciver made the chase looked relatively easy.
Earlier, a stunning knock from Smriti Mandhana helped India score 153 runs in the allotted 20 overs. India had got off to a worst start losing Shafali Verma and Harleen Deol in the powerplay.
