India Women vs South Africa Women: Smriti Mandhana ruled out of the ODI series

After the glitz and glamour and occasional damp squibs in the recently concluded 6-match T20I series, the focus of the South Africa Women tour of India shifts to the One-day series. The three-match one-day series will be played in Vadodara with the first game starting tomorrow.

After having sealed the T20I series 3-0, the Women in Blue lost the last game by 105 runs after they were bundled out for 70 in response to South Africa’s 3-175. And, now leading into the One-day series, the Mithali Raj-led unit has been dealt with another blow.

Swashbuckling opener and the No.1 ranked ODI batswoman Smriti Mandhana has been ruled out of the 3-match ODI series. The opener suffered a fracture in her toe during a practice session forcing her to be out of the reckoning for the series. It is to be noted that India are set to travel to the Caribbean shortly for a 3-match One-day and a 5-match T20I series, and Mandhan’s injury might come in a  cause of concern for the management.

“The call will be taken after assessment by the physios in the NCA and we’ll take it as it comes along. It’s difficult to fix a timeline right away. She still needs to get an MRI done, for that the swelling has to reduce. So once that is done, an assessment will be done by the head physio at NCA,” said WV Raman, Head Coach of the Women in Blue as quoted by The Cricketer.

Replacement aimed at strengthening the all-rounders’ department