The stage is set for a high-voltage showdown as India Women and Australia Women lock horns in a three-match ODI series, the final dress rehearsal before the much-anticipated 2025 ODI World Cup. With the first ODI scheduled for September 14, 2025, at the New Chandigarh stadium—a venue fresh to international cricket—both teams are eager to fine-tune their combinations and strategies in what promises to be a fiercely contested series. Cricket fans across the globe are buzzing: can India, brimming with confidence after a string of impressive wins, finally overcome their Australian jinx, or will the defending champions once again assert their dominance?
For India, this series is more than just a warm-up. Having clinched nine victories in their 11 ODIs this year—including a morale-boosting win against England on their turf in July—Harmanpreet Kaur’s side enters the contest with momentum and belief. Yet, history hasn’t been kind to them in this rivalry. Since Harmanpreet’s unforgettable knock in the 2017 ODI World Cup semi-final, Australia have prevailed in 12 of the last 13 ODIs against India. To make matters more daunting, India have been whitewashed 3-0 in their last two series against the Aussies and have lost all ten home ODIs since their last win over Australia in February 2007.
Australia, meanwhile, haven’t played an ODI since their clean sweep of England in the Women’s Ashes back in January 2025. But don’t let that fool you—this is a squad that thrives on big occasions. With ten players returning from their 2022 ODI World Cup-winning side and a staggering record of just three losses in 28 matches since that tournament, Alyssa Healy’s team has every reason to back itself. The Australians will be keen to shake off any rust and adapt quickly to the subcontinental conditions, especially with spin expected to play a pivotal role on Indian pitches.
New Chandigarh, the venue for the first two ODIs, is something of an enigma. It’s hosted 11 IPL matches over the last two years but never an international fixture. Both sides will need to read the pitch on the fly, with cloudy weather and a chance of afternoon showers adding another layer of unpredictability. The third ODI will move to Delhi, rounding out a series that could set the tone for the World Cup campaign of both teams.
In the spotlight for Australia is their captain Alyssa Healy, a proven match-winner whose resilience has been tested by a series of injuries. From a ruptured plantar fascia at the 2024 T20 World Cup to a knee injury during the WBBL and a stress fracture in the Women’s Ashes, Healy has battled back time and again. Her recent performances for Australia A against India A—scores of 91 and a blistering 137 not out—signal that she’s back in form and eager to lead from the front. As she put it, after making some adjustments behind the stumps, she’s "ready to have a crack at the ODI format as captain."
India’s offspinner Sneh Rana is another player to watch. Since her return to the national setup, Rana has been a revelation. She picked up 15 wickets in five games during the tri-series in Colombo in May and followed up with three more wickets against England. With India likely to go spin-heavy, especially at home, Rana’s role in the middle overs could be crucial. Harmanpreet Kaur made it clear during the squad announcement that Rana is "absolutely vital for our plans, especially in these conditions."
The squads for the series reflect the depth and experience of both teams. India’s lineup features stalwarts like Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana, and Renuka Singh Thakur, with Rana, Deepti Sharma, and Jemimah Rodrigues providing further firepower. Renuka Singh’s return from injury is a significant boost to India’s pace attack, and she’s expected to share the new ball with Kranti Goud. For Australia, Alyssa Healy (captain) is joined by stars such as Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Megan Schutt, and young talents like Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland. Notably, left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux is back in the squad after a lengthy injury lay-off, though Healy confirmed she’s "not quite ready for the ODI format yet."
There’s plenty at stake for individual players as well. Harmanpreet Kaur is set to become only the third Indian woman to feature in 150 ODIs, a testament to her longevity and impact. On the Australian side, Megan Schutt will mark her 100th ODI appearance, joining an elite group of Aussie cricketers. And then there’s Smriti Mandhana, whose form could be the key to India’s fortunes. Since June 2024, Mandhana has amassed 1,346 runs in 23 ODI innings, including six centuries—a run of form unmatched by any other batter in this period.
The rivalry between these two sides has only intensified over the years. Australia’s dominance is well documented, but India’s recent improvements haven’t gone unnoticed. As Harmanpreet Kaur confidently stated ahead of the series: "No doubt, they [Australia] have been very dominating. They have played well all over the world and dominated. But we are also at a stage where, as a captain, we have the belief we can beat them on any day. The processes in the last one and a half years have been good, we have improved quite a lot. Even in England, we beat one of their best sides. These show that we are on the right track."
Australia’s captain Alyssa Healy echoed the mutual respect and excitement for the contest, saying, "This is the most stable Indian team I've seen and I think they're in a really good place heading into this World Cup, so I'm looking forward to that challenge. The rivalry continues to grow. I know how much they love beating Australia and I know how good they are in their home conditions and that's really a challenge for us. I think it's going to be a really enjoyable, hard-fought series."
Broadcast details have been confirmed, with the first ODI set to air live on the Star Sports Network and stream on the JioHotstar app, ensuring fans won’t miss a moment of the action. After this series, both teams will head to Bengaluru for warm-up matches—India will face England and New Zealand, while Australia will take on England—before the World Cup kicks off on September 30, 2025. Pakistan, meanwhile, will play their World Cup matches in Colombo.
As the opening ball approaches, anticipation is at fever pitch. Will India finally break their home ODI drought against Australia, or will the Aussies continue their reign? With both teams stacked with talent and hungry for success, this series is shaping up to be a tantalizing prelude to the World Cup. For now, all eyes are on New Chandigarh, where the next chapter in this storied rivalry is about to unfold.
