Time to drop Harmanpreet Kaur from the 3rd ODI squad against NZ: Diana Edulji

Former India captain Diana Edulji has expressed her opinion that the time has come to drop former captain Harmanpreet Kaur from the Indian squad starting with the third ODI against the Kiwis. Edulji has opined that the middle-order batter just cannot survive in the team on the 171 she scored in the 2017 World Cup. Kaur has made only two 50 plus scores since the 2017 World Cup in England where India reached the final.

The 32-year-old senior batter has been facing fitness issues. Indian fans had a lot of expectations from Kaur as she regained her form and performed well in Women Big Bash League (WBBL). However, she is yet to fire in the bilateral rubber against New Zealand with India staring at another series defeat.

Edulji also opined that opener Shafali Verma should also be dropped from the squad with her partner Smriti Mandhana expected to join the squad after completing her mandatory quarantine. Edulji said that S Meghana who scored a well-made 49 runs in the second ODI should retain her spot as an opener, while Shafali continues to struggle in the 50-over format since making her debut last year.

Harmanpreet Kaur was my favorite player, but I am very disappointed: Diana Edulji  

Edulji said, “If you are going with the same yardstick which was used to drop Jemimah Rodrigues, what the coach (Ramesh Powar) had mentioned, the same yardstick should be applied to Harmanpreet,” as quoted by NDTV.

“I am very disappointed with her. She was my favourite player but you can’t survive on that one inning (171 against Australia in 2017). She is only one inning away from a big knock but the effort has to be there. I will be the happiest if she proves me wrong. I just want the team to win the World Cup,” she added.

Looking at another series defeated, a struggling and depleted India will enjoy the services of returning opener Smriti Mandhana for the third women’s ODI against New Zealand.

Mandhana, the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year, had exited mandatory quarantine in Christchurch to join the squad ahead of the second ODI but needed a few days to get the match ready. Pacers Renuka Singh and Meghna Singh are also available for selection after completing their quarantine.