Jemimah Rodrigues stole the thunder from her Indian teammate Smriti Mandhana as Melbourne Renegades defeated Sydney Thunder by nine runs in the Women's Big Bash league.
Stylish opener Smriti Mandhana believes the stint at the ongoing Women's Big Bash League will hold the Indian players in good stead when they play for the national team, especially ahead of next year's ODI World Cup.
Mandhana was head and shoulders above all her batting colleagues during an otherwise disappointing series against Australia which India lost 5-11 on a multiple-format point count.
Mandhana, 25, has evolved into one of the team's key players since making her international debut in 2013.
Mandhana scored 127 off 216 balls in India's first innings score of 377 for 8 declared
India were dominant throughout the match, with Smriti's super hundred in the first innings putting them beyond 'hosts' reach.
Raut walked off after a caught behind appeal despite the umpire not entertaining Alyssa Healy and Meg Lanning's loud shouts. Since there is no DRS in the series, Australia would not have been able to review the not out call.
India lost two wickets in the second session, including that of skipper Mithali Raj for 30 and debutant Yastika Bhatia for 19.
Smriti Mandhana brought her maiden Test century in 170 deliveries against Australia in Gold Coast.
When the idea struck her, little did Mandhana know that her team would enter its first-ever day/night Test match with just two days of training sessions with the pink ball.
Mandhana, who peppered the off-side field repeatedly with some gorgeous shots to reach 80 off 144 balls with 15 boundaries and a six, added 93 for the opening stand with Shafali Verma (31 off 64 balls), who played the second fiddle during their partnership.
Both, Mandhana and Deepti are currently in Australia as part of the Indian team's ongoing tour and will stay back for the franchise league, starting October 14.
Jhulan Goswami on friday failed to keep their nerves in a dramatic last over as Beth Mooney's brilliant unbeaten hundred ensured a five-wicket win for Australia.
Mandhana's role at the top of the order becomes more important after Das confirmed that Harmanpreet Kaur won't be available for the second ODI due to thumb injury.
India were handed a nine-wicket trashing by Australia in the opening ODI of the three-match series here on Tuesday.
Mithali, who has 762 rating points, retained her top spot, opener Smiriti Mandhana was placed seventh.
India and Australia are set to lock horns in a multi-format series comprising three ODIs, the day-night Test and three T20s, starting on September 21.
Smriti recently came back from the Hundred, scoring 167 runs in seven matches at an average of 27.83. She took Trailblazers to victory in the women's T20 challenge in the UAE last year.
This is the ninth time Mithali is number one among batters since first occupying the spot more than 16 years ago, after West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor slipped to fifth position.
Opening batter Smriti Mandhana talked about her partnership with Shafali Verma, and also pointed out that the side is working on improving its batting in the middle overs.
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