Plenty at stake for Stars in one-dayers

The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars will seek to settle the score with India and increase their lead at the top of the ICC Women's ODI Championship table when their three-match series kicks off at Manuka Oval on Tuesday.

Australia sit equal first on the ODI Championship table alongside the West Indies, but can take an outright lead with a series win over India.

All you need to know: Southern Stars v India ODIs

The inaugural edition of the ODI Championship runs from 2014 until the end of 2016 and sees each of the top eight women's teams play each other in three ODIs, either at home or away. The leader at the end of this year will make history as the first-ever championship winners, while the top four teams earn automatic qualification to next year's Women's World Cup in England.

"It adds another dimension to all the ODIs," Australian skipper Meg Lanning said.

"India have shown they are going to be really competitive and we're going to have to play really well."

Watch: Perry's superb half-century

While the championship will take centre stage during the series, Southern Stars coach Matthew Mott said he could see how the matches could also benefit his players – particularly his batters - ahead of next month's World T20, following their 2-1 KFC T20 INTL series loss to India and the inaugural Rebel Women’s Big Bash League.

"It will be an interesting transition, because these girls have played a hell of a lot of T20 in the last couple of months," Mott told cricket.com.au.

"From our point of view, it'll be good for a few of the batters to be able to spend more time in the middle and build an innings.

"In T20 at times it can be a little helter skelter so this series comes at a reasonable time for us, I think, in terms of selection.

"It would have been good to have had another couple more T20s to get our order spot on, but clearly it'll be good for some of the batters to spend a bit more time in the middle as well."

Quick single: Wanted: Southern Stars opening bat

India currently sit seventh on the ODI Championship table and fast bowler Jhulan Goswami said they were desperate to improve that position.

"We're confident for upcoming matches, it's equally important for us because the ODI points are on offer," Goswami said.

Watch: India chase down Stars

While India outplayed Australia with their aggressive batting and sharp fielding, it was Goswami's efforts with the ball that saw her stifle the Southern Stars' strong batting line-up and take out the player of the series award.

Lanning is aware that her team will need to handle the world's top-ranked ODI bowler better this time around.

"Goswami has been fantastic," Lanning said.

"She's a tall bowler, a lot taller than a lot of the girls out there, so that certainly presents a different challenge for us.

"She's not giving away many runs and she's taking wickets as well, so we'll have to look at some ways to combat that. Hopefully we can play her a little bit better in the one-day series."

Watch: Perry does more damage with the ball

Opener Nicole Bolton and leg-spinner Kristen Beams come into the squad for the one-dayers, with Beams returning after dislocating a finger in the WBBL.

The Southern Stars may also present maiden ODI caps to as many as two players tomorrow, with Queensland pair Grace Harris and Beth Mooney in line for one-day debuts.

Southern Stars (from):  Meg Lanning, Alex Blackwell, Kristen Beams, Nicole Bolton, Sarah Coyte, Rene Farrell, Holly Ferling, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt

India (from):  Mithali Raj (c), Jhulan Goswamy (vice capt), Smriti Mandhana, MD Thirushkamini, Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda Krishnamurthy, Shikha Pandey, Niranjana Nagarajan, Sushma Verma, Kalpana R, Ekta Bisht, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Raut, Poonam Yadav, Sneh Rana

ODI Championship standings

1. Australia - 16 points

2. West Indies - 16

3. New Zealand - 14

4. South Africa - 11

5. England - 9 

6. Pakistan - 8

7. India - 5

8. Sri Lanka - 5