Australia’s multi-format series against India has been hit by major injury concerns, with superstars Ellyse Perry and Kim Garth ruled out of the three-match ODI series. Both players suffered quad strains during the high-stakes T20I series finale in Adelaide on Saturday, leaving them in a race against time to be fit for the one-off Test in Perth on March 6.
In their absence, veteran Megan Schutt and 19-year-old left-arm pacer Lucy Hamilton have been drafted into the squad. Schutt made an immediate impact in the first ODI today at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field, dismissing India’s comeback opener Pratika Rawal for a duck on the second ball of the match.
Match Update: 1st ODI – Brisbane (Feb 24, 2026)
The opening match of the ODI leg is currently underway. After winning the T20I series 2-1, India opted to bat first but faced an early collapse against the Australian seamers.
- Early Wickets: India slipped to 52/3 after Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown removed Rawal (0), Shafali Verma (4), and Jemimah Rodrigues (8).
- The Fightback: Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana played a lone hand, scoring a resilient 58 off 66 balls before being caught off Tahlia McGrath.
- Current Status: As of the latest updates, India is struggling at 126/5 after 30 overs, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh attempting to rebuild the innings.
Key Tactical Shifts
- Healy’s Final Tour: Captain Alyssa Healy has returned to the top of the order for her farewell series but has handed the wicketkeeping gloves to Beth Mooney to manage her workload.
- Voll’s Promotion: Georgia Voll, fresh off an 88 in the T20Is, has taken Ellyse Perry’s spot at No. 3.
- Multi-Format Points: India currently leads the series 4-2. A win in this ODI would extend their lead significantly as they aim for a historic series win on Australian soil.
