India bat first and hand Prema Rawat debut in final ODI
India handed Prema Rawat an ODI debut and elected to bat first in the series finale to give middle-order players extra game time before the T20 leg.
India chose to bat first and gave Prema Rawat her first international cap in the final ODI against the touring side. The move follows a 3-0 series lead and was made to give middle-order batters additional match practice before the T20 leg begins.
Captain Smriti Mandhana said the decision was taken to allow more players to spend time in the middle ahead of the shorter format. Rawat, a middle-order batter, replaces a regular in the XI for this dead-rubber fixture.
The series concludes on Sunday, after which India will switch focus to the T20Is starting later in the week. No changes have been confirmed for that leg of the tour.
CricHubb Take
India's choice to rest key players for the T20Is could backfire if the middle order doesn't bank the needed match practice — and the visitors might now push harder knowing the series is already lost.