While it is never the ideal case to look at anything in hindsight, Jemimah Rodrigues’ thoughts about India after the wins against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh make for interesting reading.

“It’s scary for the opponents to know that we have not had our perfect match yet. In such tournaments, because it’s so long, it’s important to peak at the right time,” she stated.

And therein lies the problem. Rarely in ODI cricket, especially at a World Cup, do teams have perfect matches. Australia, South Africa and England – the three teams to have sealed their semifinal berths – can attest to this.

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In finding balance between bat and ball in the lineup, India is stuck between a rock and a hard place, and a big basket of ‘what-ifs’ to stew over.

What will sting most is the defeat against England in Indore. India, needing 27 runs off 18 balls, lost the plot when it almost looked difficult to. Having faced issues with just five frontline bowlers, India opted for a sixth, a ploy that didn’t yield the desired results.

Loose lines and lengths in key junctures, imperfect fielding efforts and persistent issues with the batting order have all made an appearance here and there, and sometimes together, to leave India and its fans almost to the mercy of math.

Against England, the shocker was that nagging finishing issue that has plagued the side with bat and ball. And no, this isn’t recent. Think of the horrors of that 2017 final at the Lord’s.

After a shaky start, seniors Smriti Mandhana and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur – alive to the perils of not having Jemimah, who was dropped to make way for Renuka Singh – laid the foundations for what should have been a simple win. In retrospect, the veteran pair realised the folly in not putting the game to bed and leaving it to the tail, no matter how prolifically it has wagged all tournament.

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India does not have the cushion of inexperience anymore. Fixtures against high-quality opponents, three high-octane editions of the Women’s Premier League and an overall improvement in approach to technique and physical conditioning have all been major positives. If mindset is what is setting this team up for failure, then it’s a red flag that needs urgent attention.

A stubbornness to address poor performance might see India, vying for the final semifinal spot, heading into a sword fight with a nail-file.

Published on Oct 21, 2025