Lively track expected as Aussies eye 25th win

Australia's bid to make it 25 straight ODI wins looks set to be aided by a fast and bouncy Great Barrier Reef Arena pitch in tomorrow's series opener against India in Mackay.

The soil used for the centre wicket at a venue that will host its maiden international on Tuesday comes from Peak Crossing, located on the Scenic Rim about 60km south-west of Brisbane, and from where soil for the traditionally pacey Gabba wicket has also been sourced.

The groundstaff, who are led by former long-serving Gabba assistant grounds manager Peter Kazakoff, are expecting lively surfaces for all three matches, with games two and three to be played on the same pitch (Friday and Sunday).

The centre square has been hastily transformed in less than a fortnight; until this ODI series was relocated to Mackay due to the pandemic, it was being prepared for the local Aussie Rules finals.

"It looks like it's got a good, even covering of grass," said Australia skipper Meg Lanning, who will play her 200th international across all formats tomorrow. "We've tried to speak to the players who have played up here before and all the reports have been really good about the wicket.

"(Both pitches) look pretty good and the outfield looks great as well, so I think it's going to be a good deck for a good contest."

Australia head into the series with much hype around their young pace brigade, which will be unleashed on an Indian side desperate to find form ahead of next year's ODI World Cup, following series defeats to England and South Africa earlier this year.

Ellyse Perry is set to be supported by teenagers Darcie Brown and potential debutant Stella Campbell, while the injured Nicola Carey (abdominal strain) looks likely to be replaced by another pace option in Annabel Sutherland, Maitlan Brown, Hannah Darlington or Tahlia McGrath.

Throw in three frontline spinners in Ashleigh Gardner, Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham, and Lanning will have no shortage of options at her disposal.

"We're still discussing what the final XI will be but we feel like all 18 players in this squad can come in and play a role," she said. "But it's a busy schedule – there's lots of games in a short period of time – so there'll certainly be opportunities there."

India meanwhile will be without superstar batter Harmanpreet Kaur for at least game one of this three-match ODI series after she was hit on the thumb in training last week.

India coach Ramesh Powar revealed that news late on Monday afternoon after captain Mithali Raj was coy about the omissions of Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues from Saturday's practice match against Australia in Brisbane.

"We wanted to check a few other players who have come in like Yastika (Bhatia) and Meghna Singh – for them it is their first tour," Raj said.

"We wanted to see other players because we know Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah have played before, and they've also got the experience of playing in Australia with the WBBL.

"So it was just an opportunity for the other girls to get a hang of the atmosphere on tour.

"That is part of the captain's worries when you have many such players in the side but it is also good to have players who have been performing, because you know your bench is getting stronger, so tomorrow if something happens to the core player you know that you readily have someone to fill their shoes."

Behind the stumps, exciting 17-year-old Richa Ghosh looks likely to be preferred to 69-time international Taniya Bhatia for the 'keeping duties.

"We will see how we can give opportunity to Taniya Bhatia as well as Richa because it is important as a team to give opportunity to players before the World Cup," Raj added. "This is an important series in the run-up to the World Cup and we want to see all the girls get enough game time.

"(But) the bottom line is we play to win. That is also important – not just to try and give opportunities but we will play to win, and we will see how things go from the first game."

CommBank Series v India

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Maitlan Brown, Stella Campbell, Nicola Carey, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Redmayne, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

India Test and ODI squad: Mithali Raj (c), Harmanpreet Kaur (vc), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Punam Raut, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Yastika Bhatia, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Shikha Pandey, Jhulan Goswami, Meghna Singh, Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav, Richa Ghosh, Ekta Bisht.

India T20I squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Yastika Bhatia, Shikha Pandey, Meghna Singh, Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav, Richa Ghosh (wk), Harleen Deol, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Renuka Singh.

Sep 21: First ODI, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay

Sep 24: Second ODI, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay (D/N)

Sep 26: Third ODI, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay

Sep 30 – Oct 3: Test match, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast (D/N)

Oct 7: First T20, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast

Oct 9: Second T20, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast

Oct 10: Third T20, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast