India’s Batting Struggles in the Women’s World Cup: The Case for Richa Ghosh as Opener

India’s performance in the Women’s World Cup has been under scrutiny, particularly their starts in crucial matches against Pakistan and New Zealand. Smriti Mandhana, widely regarded as one of the finest batters in the world, has yet to hit her stride in the tournament.

In the match against Pakistan, Mandhana faced just 7 out of 16 balls, and her struggle to find form continued in the game against New Zealand. India, chasing 160 in Dubai, faltered as their opening partnership failed to make an impact in the power play.

Mandhana’s ability to play long, anchoring innings is well-established. She is a class player capable of taking on bowling attacks with her tactical approach.

However, she is not known for being a power hitter, which has shown in her inability to clear the infield early in the innings. This has put pressure on India’s top order during the power play, a crucial period when scoring boundaries can set the tone for the rest of the innings.

On the other hand, Mandhana’s opening partner, Shafali Verma, is a recognized power hitter. But like Mandhana, she has struggled to impose herself.

Against Pakistan, Verma’s 32 off 35 balls was enough to help India chase down a modest target of 105, but their cautious approach in the power play could have cost them if the target had been larger.

Not scoring a boundary until the 7th or 8th over was a missed opportunity, and they only managed 25 runs during the power play. Mandhana’s early dismissal added further pressure on the middle order.

With India relying heavily on Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues to recover from sluggish starts, the lack of quick runs in the early overs has become a concern. The loss to New Zealand highlighted this problem.

India, needing to chase quickly, found themselves in a situation where there was no time to build an innings, leading to a negative approach that ultimately cost them the match.

The solution? Many believe Richa Ghosh could be the answer. A talented young batter, Ghosh has a strike rate above 120-125 and is known for her ability to clear the field with both power and precision.

Unlike blind sloggers, she plays intelligent, calculated shots. Bringing Ghosh in as an opener could help India take advantage of the power play and set the foundation for bigger totals.

While making a change mid-tournament can be risky, India’s position demands a more proactive approach. Sending Ghosh up the order could relieve some of the pressure on Mandhana and Verma, who have been struggling to accelerate.

Looking ahead, matches against stronger teams like Australia will test this opening partnership, and India will need to improve their net run rate to stay competitive.

Pushing Mandhana down the order and promoting Ghosh as an opener might be the shake-up India needs to get back on track in this tournament. As the World Cup progresses, only time will tell if this tactical switch can make the difference India needs.