AUS Women vs IND Women 2025/26, AUS-W vs IND-W 1st T20I Match Preview

Ravi Singh

4 hours ago

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Big picture: The Molineux era, part one

For the first time in nearly a decade Australia do not have a global trophy in their cabinet, a legend of the game has already retired from one format with the other two to follow shortly, and there’s a new captain at the helm. While many of the squad are familiar faces, there is definitely the sense of a fresh start.

And they probably couldn’t ask for a tougher proposition to kick things off: a multi-format visit by India, the reigning ODI World Cup champions, who knocked Australia off their pedestal a few months ago to finally secure that piece of silverware that has long felt would be game-changing.

This series starts with the T20Is, which will see Sophie Molineux take charge of Australia, before three ODIs and a one-off Test in Perth – the latter two elements providing the swansong to Alyssa Healy’s magnificent career. The points system is in place – unlike when Australia visited India in 2024-25 where each format was separate – with two for a win in the white-ball matches and four on offer for a Test victory (two for a draw).

“That [the World Cup] was a different format, and T20 is a different format,” India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said. “Being world champions always gives you a lot of confidence, but every time you step on the ground, you have to start from ball one. T20 is something that as a team we all really enjoy playing, and playing against Australia is always fun.”

The schedule of global tournaments means there will be a heavy T20 focus over the next couple of years: there’s the 2026 T20 World Cup in June, a new Champions Trophy in 2027, the LA Olympics in 2028, and then another T20 World Cup. Following Healy’s retirement, it will be interesting to see how many of the Australia side make it through all that.

For India, batter Bharti Fulmali has returned to the squad for the first time since 2019 with batting strike rate the notable part of her game. Offspinner Shreyanka Patil also returns for the first time since the 2024 T20 World Cup.

India have more recently familiarity with the T20 format, having faced Sri Lanka in five games (and winning them all) in late December, while Australia have only played three matches, against New Zealand last March, in the past 12 months.

Form guide

Australia WWWWW(last five completed matches, most recent first)
India WWWWW

In the spotlight: Sophie Molineux and Smriti Mandhana

Hers was not the name at the top of most people’s lists, but Sophie Molineux will lead Australia into their next era. Part of the reason for the general surprise was not a comment on Molineux’s standing as a player – her bowling numbers in white-ball internationals are exceptional – but more the fact that she has missed so much cricket due to a horror run with injuries. Even when announced as captain, it was acknowledged she may be rested at times. Being a spin-bowling allrounder could also cause some interesting selection decisions, although when fit she has been considered a first pick. Where she opts to bat will be worth watching.

Smriti Mandhana is coming off a standout WPL where she was the top run-scorer and led Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to the title. The highlight was a stand of 165 alongside Georgia Voll in the final, as she battled flu to hammer 87 off 41 balls. She has a solid T20I record in Australia with 400 runs at 28.57 and a strike rate of 122.69, although India have not played the format here since 2021. Since the last T20 World Cup, Mandhana has averaged 44.50 in T20Is with a strike rate of 143.54. She warmed-up for the series with 36 off 29 balls against the Governor General’s XI.

Team news: Room for Nicola Carey recall?

Molineux said the balance of the side was still being pondered. That opens the door for Nicola Carey to be recalled. Molineux herself is effectively a swap for Alana King from Australia’s previous T20 side last March. Among the pace bowlers, the final call could be between Darcie Brown and Kim Garth.

Australia (possible): 1 Georgia Voll, 2 Beth Mooney (wk), 3 Phoebe Litchfield, 4 Ellyse Perry, 5 Annabel Sutherland, 6 Tahlia McGrath, 7 Nicola Carey, 8 Sophie Molineux (capt), 9 Georgia Wareham, 10 Darcie Brown, 11 Megan Schutt

India need to decide on the composition of their spin attack. Offspinner Patil, who took 2 for 24 in the warm-up, could play her first T20I since 2024.

India (possible): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Jemimah Rodrigues, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Deepti Sharma, 7 Arundhati Reddy, 8 Shreyanka Patil, 9 Kranti Gaud, 10, N Shree Charani/Vaishnavi Sharma, 11 Renuka Singh

Pitch and conditions: Eyes on the weather

Australia have won all four T20Is played at the SCG. They have batted first in three of those with totals of 134, 136 and 198 – the latter coming last season against England. Shall we not mention rain in Sydney? Sadly there are showers forecast for Sunday.

Stats and trivia

Quotes

“I think it’ll be pretty surreal. I’ve got a bit of family coming. It sort of has slipped into my mind the last couple of days how it’s going to feel to lead the team out and to sing the anthem.”
Sophie Molineux on what her first match-day as captain will be like

“We are really working hard to achieve all our targets, so winning the ODI World Cup was one of them. So we are on the right track, we are just working really hard.”
Harmanpreet Kaur on whether India can be considered the best team in the world

Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo

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