Key events
India win the toss and will bat first
A fourth consecutive toss win for Harmanpreet Kaur and the world cup winners will get first use of the Allan Border Field pitch. Alyssa Healy would have bowled first anyway.
There are some murmurings from the ground that Australia have a couple of significant injuries to contend with. More on that when XIs are confirmed at the toss.
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of the first ODI of the multi-format series between Australia and India. We’ll be under way at Allan Border Field in Queensland at 1:50pm local time (2:50pm AEDT).
These are unfamiliar times for Australian cricket. They are unlikely to last long, but it is nonetheless noteworthy that the normally dominant women’s team are not in possession of either World Cup trophy and lost the T20 series to India that preceded these ODIs, alongside the men being bundled out of their T20 World Cup at the humiliation stage.
Mitigating factors abound, most pertinently for us today a changing of the guard as generational greats are replaced by newcomers still refining their craft. At the top of this list is Alyssa Healy, who returns to skipper her country during a valedictory series before international retirement. Healy will captain from the outfield with the veteran already handing over the wicket keeping gloves to Beth Mooney. Sophie Molineux, Healy’s successor as T20 captain, returns to the rank and file.
Australia have never lost at AB Field, but they have never faced an Indian side with so much quality or confidence. The recently crowned World Cup winners chased down a massive 339 the last time these teams faced off, and with momentum from the T20s behind them they are unlikely to be fazed by the occasion.
I’ll be back with the toss and teams shortly. If you want to get in touch while I’m around, you can reach me at jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.
