Australia weighs up Megan Schutt inclusion for third India ODI

Australia will take a full-strength side into Tuesday night’s ODI dead rubber against India, and a selection dilemma has emerged.

Australian all-rounder Annabel Sutherland says the touring side is hellbent on denying India any white-ball success and will pick a full-strength team for Tuesday night’s final ODI.

The match will be a dead rubber after Australia locked up a 2-0 series victory with a nailbiting three-run win on Saturday, but Sutherland said the team did not want to give up any momentum heading into a three-match T20 series to complete the tour.

The Australian selectors on Tuesday morning faced a difficult selection decision over experienced swing bowler Megan Schutt after she missed the second ODI with a sore quad and was replaced by Kim Garth, who claimed 1-24 from six overs.

Sutherland was tight-lipped over whether Australia would alter its bowling line-up after they restricted India to 8-255 in pursuit of 258 in Mumbai but said Schutt, 30, had been a valuable mentor during the series to a young pace contingent that has included Sutherland, Darcie Brown and Lauren Cheatle.

Senior Australian swing bowler Megan Schutt is in the frame for selection in the third ODI after missing the previous game with a quad complaint. Picture: Pankaj Nangia / Getty Images

“We’ll be putting our best team out there and looking to go 3-0 in the series to lead into the T20 series with some momentum,” Sutherland said.

“We’ve got a few young girls in that fast bowling unit, so (Schutt) been a great person to lean on at different points.

“I think the thing about Schutter is she keeps evolving, which you kind of have to do in the female game at the moment – you get found out, and batters can work you out pretty quickly if you don’t keep developing different deliveries.

“She’s been one that’s able to do that, and I think her execution in different moments, particularly at the death in clutch moments, she’s been exceptional in the way she just continues to show up and put her hand up in those key moments.”

Sutherland, who will be home for only a month after the series before heading back to India for the WPL, said playing in many different conditions in a year that also included an Ashes tour had helped her own evolution as a cricketer.

The 22-year-old fetched the highest price at last month’s WPL auction after she was signed by the Delhi Capitals for about $364,000.

Annabel Sutherland has been in stellar bowling form for Australia this summer. Picture: Pankaj Nangia / Getty Images

“I think even being exposed to conditions like these that we’ve had at Wankhede – more spinning conditions that we don’t get the chance to play on as much back home,” she said.

“I’ve certainly played close attention to how the top order have gone about things, and certain players have made it look pretty easy at different points.

“So (it’s) trying to look at what they’re doing, what’s working for them and then how that fits in with my game.

‘My strengths will be my strengths, but if I can add little things in here and there then I guess that’s how my career will keep progressing.”

Saturday’s result ensured Australia had won all nine of its bilateral women’s ODI series against India, which Sutherland called a “testament to the team’s consistency”.

“It probably goes down to the quality of the domestic cricket back home as well, that every player is exposed to different conditions and challenging circumstances out on the field in those competitions so that the international stage is not too big of a jump,” she said.

“You’ve got to learn how to win … and keep the belief that you can (win) – the other night showed that we can win from anywhere, which is really nice to see.

After the Test and three ODIs at Wankhede Stadium, the Australians will play three T20s at the DY Patil Sports Stadium in Navi Mumbai beginning January 6.

Originally published as Australia weighs up Megan Schutt inclusion for third India ODI