2nd ODI, Preview: Mithali Raj Returns As India Women Aim To Level Series Against Australia

India will aim to level the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series when they face visitors Australia in a must-win game at Vadodara, which is part of the ICC women's ODI Championship. India will get a major boost as skipper Mithali Raj is set to return to the squad after sitting out in the first game due to fever. The Indian batters will have to rise to the occasion against the Australian spinners, who shared eights wickets between them in the first game. The Indian bowlers were unable to defend a modest 201-run target and they were let down by not just the batting but also the fielding.

If it weren't for the 76-run eighth wicket stand between stumper Sushma Verma and tailender Pooja Vastrakar, the home team could have faced a bigger defeat.

India will also expect their bowlers to give a tough time to the tourists.

On the other hand, the visitors will aim to continue their all-round show and seal the series.

Opener Nicole Bolton was in sublime touch, hitting an unbeaten 100. She would be looking forward to continuing her good form while her partner Alyssa Healy would not want to throw away a promising start again.

On her return to international cricket after seven months, captain Meg Lanning too was amongst runs before she ran herself out while all-rounder Ellyse Perry also came good with the willow.

Teams:
India: Mithali Raj (Captain), Harmanpreet Kaur (VC), Smriti Mandhana, Veda Krishnamurthy, Punam Raut, Jemimah Rodrigues, Sushma Verma, Ekta Bist, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Mona Meshram, Poonam Yadav, Sukanya Parida.

Australia: Meg Lanning (Captain), Alyssa Healy, Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ellyse Perry, Elyse Velani, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachel Haynes, Jess Jonassen, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt, Beh Mooney, Belinda Vakarewa, Amanda Jade-Wellington.

(With IANS Inputs)