Pursuit of happiness: Verma leading India's new gen

A hallmark of recent showdowns between India and Australia has been Shafali Verma's ability to find another gear when staring down the world’s best team.

India are ranked No.4 in the world in the T20 game but have proved Australia’s toughest opponent in the format since early 2020, when they defeated them in the opening game of that year's T20 World Cup.

The ultra-aggressive Verma has hit 107 runs in three innings this series at a strike rate of 144.59 –above her T20 career rate of 135 – in a form line that included her first half-century against Australia.

Speaking to media on Friday, the 18-year-old grinned as she said: "I love playing against Australia.

"When I hit a four (against an Australian), I get boosted, and feel that I've improved as a player, because Australia is the best side … I'm always happy when I hit boundaries off the Australian bowlers.

"I don't get so much happiness when I hit boundaries against England or any other team."

Image Id: 658745699F7E44069D031279D81F9A51 Image Caption: 19-year-old Richa Ghosh is a star on the rise // Getty

Verma and fellow teenager Richa Ghosh will now be available for the remainder of the five-game series, having initially been expected to depart after the third match to join an Under-19 World Cup squad training camp.

Their retention comes as little surprise given India need to win both remaining games to claim their first T20I series win against Australia since 2016, and to snap their rivals’ undefeated run in 20-over series that stretches back to March 2018.

"I think what Shafali said is true, we do notice that when we play India, they certainly play to their potential and really challenge us," Australia coach Shelley Nitschke said on Friday.

"I think Shafali has been one that we've seen grow over the years and is certainly having a really good series and … to see Richa Ghosh out there as well in this series, it certainly bodes well for the future for India.

"It also it pushes our group as well, it challenges us.

"I think they've contested like we knew they would.

"They're a good team. They play tough cricket (and) it's tough conditions in India.

"It's been a really tight battle so far and it's good to be 2-1 ahead but there's two really important games to go."

Australia have long acknowledged India as the ‘sleeping giants’ of the women’s game, and Nitschke reflected on their progression when speaking to media in Mumbai on Friday.

India have yet to win a world title in the women’s game but were runners-up during Nitschke’s maiden World Cup campaign in 2005.

They have made regular appearances in finals in recent times, including the deciders of the 2017 one-day World Cup and 2020 T20 World Cup, before taking the silver medal at the Commonwealth Games.

"When I first played against India in the 2005 World Cup, and they made the final and I think that was sort of the start of a real growth period for them and they just seem to get better and better," Nitschke said.

"I think in the last probably four or five years they've had a real acceleration ... we see how aggressive they are with their batting.

"They've got some great young players, they’re athletic in the field, so I think their growth has been phenomenal, particularly in the last five years and we're seeing that in this series and it's exactly what we expected from them and their home country."

Australia's T20I tour of India 

1st T20I: Australia won by 9 wickets

2nd T20I: Match tied (India won the Super Over)

3rd T20I: Australia won by 21 runs

4th T20I: December 17, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai (Dec 18, 12.30am AEDT) 

5th T20I: December 20, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai (Dec 21, 12.30am AEDT) 

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington

India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh Thakur, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Devika Vaidya, S Meghana, Richa Ghosh, Harleen Deol