Massive Blow to Team India Ahead of Women's World Cup 2025

The Indian Women’s Cricket Team are putting in the hard yards ahead of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. Since the last few days, they have been training hard and are making sure that they enter the tournament with no stones left unturned.

The team is currently locking horns with Australia Women’s Cricket Team in a home ODI series ahead of the tournament. They lost the opening game but would be keen to make a strong comeback in the last two games and enter the World Cup on a high.

The second ODI between India women and Australia women will be played on Wednesday (17th September) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, one of the most beautiful cricket stadiums in the world. It will be a do-or-die game for the hosts and they will be keen to bring their best.

Jemimah Rodrigues Ruled Out of Australia ODIs

Just ahead of the game, the Indian women have been dealt a massive blow. As per the reports in The Times of India, it is learned that Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out of the last two WODIs against Australia. The middle-order batter has been suffering from a viral infection & weakness.

Hence, she was deemed unfit to play the last two games. This comes as a major blow to the side as the World Cup is around the corner. Jemimah Rodrigues will be a key player for her side as she has been one of the crucial batters in the middle-order for India for the last few years.

While she is out of the ODI series, Jemimah Rodrigues World Cup chances are still safe. The team management would be hoping for her to be fully fit by the time the World Cup starts. The tournament will begin on 30th September and India will play the opening game against Sri Lanka.

Jemimah Rodrigues failed to make an impact with the bat in the first ODI against Australia. Batting at five, she managed just 18 runs off 26 balls. And to worsen the case further for her, she caught a viral infection and now won’t be featuring in the rest of the series.

Who is Jemimah Rodrigues Replacement?

The reports claimed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also named the replacement for Jemimah Rodrigues for the two ODIs against Australia. Tejal Hasabnis, who was in standbys, has been added to the team and would be eager to grab the opportunity and make her presence felt.

Hasabnis has played six games for India in the 50-over format. She has slammed 140 runs at an average of over 46 to go with one fifty. It is expected that she will get an opportunity in the last two games as India eyes a series win ahead of the World Cup.

Coming to the first ODI between the teams, India suffered a hammering from one of the best cricket teams in the world. After opting to bat, they posted a big total of 281 runs on the board with Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, and Harleen Deol slamming fifties.

However, Australia made a mockery of the chase. Phoebe Litchfield played a magnificent innings of 88 runs, while Beth Mooney (77*) and Annabel Sutherland (54*) also played crucial roles as they chased down the target with eight wickets in hand and more than five overs to spare.