Harmanpreet sees ongoing series as key to mastering home conditions before ODI WC

Chennai: Keeping an eye on the Women’s ODI World Cup next year, India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur on Thursday stressed the importance of using the ongoing series against South Africa to adapt to different home venues and capitalise on familiar conditions.

A dominant India swept the preceding ODI series 3-0 in Bengaluru, as the action now shifts to the Chepauk which will host a one-off Test beginning Friday, and will be followed by three more T20Is here.

“It’s a great opportunity to get used to various home conditions,” Harmanpreet said in the pre-match media interaction.

“Even though we don’t have a lot of experience at home, this series will give us a lot of confidence -- how the wickets behave and the combinations that we can use for the World Cup.”

Chennai’s weather has been overcast and there is scattered rain forecast across the city in the next few days.

With the Chepauk track considered slow, Harmanpreet pointed out that it is not entirely different from that in Mumbai, where they played their previous two Tests.

“It’s been raining for the last couple of days, but the wicket looks really good and we are hoping for it to start turning within one or two days,” Harmanpreet said.

“In the last two Tests in Mumbai, the wicket was behaving similarly. We don’t have much clarity about the wicket here. We discuss to go out there and see how the pitch is behaving.”

Harmanpreet was confident that the practice sessions for the last three days would be effective during the match.

“We don’t have much experience on Chennai wicket. But the practice session from the last couple of days has given us a fair idea and we will play accordingly,” she added.

“We have seen men’s Test matches here, but women’s cricket is completely different. Once we start playing as per the conditions, we will be gathering experience.”