Smriti Mandhana is going to miss the opening ODI match against the Kiwis, Yastika might have to retain the opener's position again.
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India’s star opener Smriti Mandhana is set to miss out from the 1st ODI match against New Zealand due to quarantine regulations.
According to the ESPNcricinfo report, Mandhana, Meghna Singh and Renuka Singh, all the three players who were absent from India’s T20 squad today morning, are expected to spend a few more days in the MIQ (Managed Isolation and Quarantine) facility in New Zealand.
While there hasn’t been any official statement from the BCCI yet, the reason for the player’s extended quarantine seems to be travelling-related issues. While the other 15-member squad has already moved to Queenstown, Mandhana, Meghna and Renuka are still in Auckland.
No official positive Covid-19 cases have been reported either from the India squad.
In today’s post-match press conference, batter Yastika Bhatia said, “Smriti, Meghna Singh, and Renuka Singh are in compulsory MIQ by the New Zealand government. That’s all we can say at the moment.” The Indian team had undergone a week of hard quarantine in Mumbai before its departure for New Zealand on January 24.
To reduce the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak, New Zealand Cricket had moved all of India’s fixtures, including a T20I and five ODIs, to Queenstown.
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Since Mandhana is going to miss the opening ODI match against the Kiwis, Yastika might have to retain the opener’s position again. At the same time, due to the absence of Renuka and Meghana, India will have to depend on veteran Jhulan Goswami and youngsters Pooja Vastrakar and Simran Bahadur for their pace attack.
India will begin their five ODIs series against New Zealand on February 12, as both the teams start their preparation for the upcoming World Cup in March, which will also be held in New Zealand.
“This tour is very important, we are getting a series here in these conditions. We need to do well and develop confidence so that we are well prepared for the World Cup,” said Yastika.
