ENG W vs IND W 1st ODI: Mithali Raj lauds Shafali Verma ahead of her ODI debut, says ‘she will give us a head start’

ENG W vs IND W 1st ODI: Mithali Raj lauds Shafali Verma ahead of her ODI debut, says ‘she will give us a head start’ – After a thrilling Test match against England, Mithali Raj’s team India is gearing up for the three matches ODI series. All eyes will be on debutant Shafali Verma after her incredible performance in Test. Ahead of the first ODI Mithali backed Verma to give India a head start.

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In the virtual press conference ahead of the first game, Mithali said, “That’s how she (Shafali Verma) is. That is her style of batting. There will be times when gives us a head start, we would love it if she is consistent. But at the same time she is a young kid, she will learn with experience, with more matches she would be able to sort of understand how to bat deep. I want Shafali to bring her usual energy to the batting line-up. And even if we lose early wickets we have the batting depth to rely on.”

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Verma played a gem of an innings in the first innings of the Test against England. She scored 96 runs in the first innings and helped India draw the Test with 63 runs knock in the second innings.

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“The first step I will take as a captain is to encourage her, to let her bat the way she enjoys and is comfortable playing. If she gives us a good start we in the middle order will take it from there, if not experience batters in the middle order will compensate,” she added.

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“Going into the series, we are very positive. England is one of the best sides in the world and they have a home advantage. We have players who have played in leagues and that will helps us do well in ODIs,” said Mithali.

The Indian skipper added that the leagues have helped Indian players get accustomed to the conditions. “It has helped players add more dimensions to their game. It really helps to develop confidence for a situation you are not experienced at the international level,” she said.

The three-game ODI series will begin on Sunday and this would provide a chance for India to narrow down on the players who would be suitable for the women’s 50-over World Cup set to be played next year.