Outclassed in the first two ODIs, a struggling India will need to address their batting weaknesses to salvage some pride when they take on a dominant Australia in the third and final women’s ODI in Hobart on Sunday (March 1, 2026).
World champions India failed to post competitive totals in both matches, allowing Australia to claim victory with little resistance.
In the opening game, India fell to three wickets in the powerplay and never fully recovered. Although the visitors corrected that in the second ODI with a 78-run opening stand, the middle and lower order failed to capitalise.
India lost five wickets in just 52 runs between the 17th and 31st overs, an area they must address.
India were bowled out for 214 in the first ODI and posted 251 for nine in the second, below-par totals that Australia comfortably chased down to maintain their record of winning every bilateral ODI series against India.
Harmanpreet Kaur and her team will need a markedly improved batting display to prevent Australia from completing another whitewash, similar to the one at the end of 2024.
Young opener Pratika Rawal recovered from a duck to score a fifty, while Smriti Mandhana scored 31 and 58 in the two matches.
Harmanpreet also recorded two half-centuries.
However, the lack of significant contributions from senior batsmen like Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma has hurt India.
“I think in the last two games we didn’t bat well, and I think that really cost us. So I think it’s just about batting well and deep, and I hope in the next game we do that,” Harmanpreet had said after the second ODI.
The bowling unit has also been inconsistent and lacked penetration.
Deepti took three wickets but Shree Charani, though she took two wickets in the first game, proved expensive in the second match.
The pace duo of Kashvee Gautam and Kranti Gaud will have to be more consistent and attack early to prevent Australia from dominating the powerplay.
India’s fielding was also not up to the mark as Gaud, Mandhana and Richa Ghosh missed opportunities.
Australia, on the other hand, has ticked most of the boxes.
Georgia Voll’s towering century and Phoebe Litchfield’s fluid strokeplay fueled a statement chase in the second ODI, while Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy and Annabel Sutherland starred in the first game.
The Australian bowling attack, led by Megan Schutt and Ashleigh Gardner, has also impressed with their collective contributions.
Apart from the two, Alana King and Sutherland have also been among the wickets.
India had won the T20I series 2-1, but Australia’s two ODI wins have given them a 6-4 lead in the multi-format series.
India will look to bounce back in the final ODI and subsequent one-off Test in Perth to avoid ending the tour on a disappointing note.
Teams (of):
YoIndia: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Renuka Thakur, Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Uma Chetry (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Kashvee Gautam, Harleen Deol, Pratika Rawal.
Australia: Alyssa Healy (c), Sophie Molineux (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham.
Start of the match: 9.20 am IST.
Published – February 28, 2026 11:50 am IST