Smriti Mandhana vs Phoebe Litchfield: The Battle of the Openers in the 2026 ODI Series

Brisbane quickly established the pattern: Smriti Mandhana’s 58 guided India’s batting line-up, but Australia’s reply was still under command as Phoebe Litchfield with 32 and Alyssa Healy began to perform well.

That initial ODI on 24th February 2026 in Brisbane wasn’t simply a six wicket win; it was a reminder that the series could turn on ten over periods, as both teams base their complete fifty over strategy on what transpires at the beginning.

India’s 214 didn’t seem a poor score, however it required almost faultless Powerplay bowling and good fielding. Australia reacted with early energy, then controlled completion, and the opening pair contest was at the centre of this.

As the series goes to Hobart for the 2nd ODI (27th February) and 3rd ODI (1st March), the question is straightforward, and it will be asked only once: can India earn enough Powerplays to alter events?

In Depth

The opening pair contest is doing more than creating good moments; it is determining field placements, spin timing, and even which bowlers are held back, since Mandhana and Litchfield compel captains to choose a method in the first ten overs.

What Brisbane Showed in One Scorecard

India’s innings had two clear stages: staying in, then Mandhana’s attempt to increase the score without losing form. She reached 58 and looked prepared for more, but Australia’s fast bowlers and slower-ball bowlers kept bringing India back towards a score of around 220.

Australia’s chase appeared easier as the first eight to ten overs were with intention. Litchfield didn’t hit the ball in the air constantly, but she hit spaces early, made singles look simple, and made India defend both sides of the wicket at the same time.

When Litchfield was out, the speed didn’t disappear as Healy and Beth Mooney made the innings into something orderly. Annabel Sutherland’s finish only mattered because the base hadn’t fallen apart.

The major lesson: India can’t permit a Powerplay in which they lose early wickets and also give up simple runs. One of these can be dealt with, but both together turns the match into a struggle.

Smriti Mandhana’s ODI Worth Isn’t Just Runs

Smriti Mandhana has always been a batter who needs to find her rhythm, but her ODI game has grown into something more useful. She can still hit the ball through cover, still flick length off the pads, but she’s also learned to “hold” a bowler for four overs and score later.

In Brisbane, her 58 did two things at once. It prevented India from being bowled out cheaply, and it kept India’s middle order from coming in at 30 for 3 with the field in.

The issue for India is that Mandhana usually is both the link and the accelerator. When she does both roles, her partner becomes essential. If the other opener can give India 25 to 35 off 30 balls, Mandhana doesn’t have to take a risk against the new, hard ball.

Hobart can suit her if she’s allowed to begin quietly. The square boundaries at Bellerive and the slightly heavier air can make lofted drives travel a little less, so timing and placement are more important than pure strength.

Phoebe Litchfield’s Superpower Is Speed Control

Phoebe Litchfield doesn’t need 70 off 60 balls to change a game. Her effect comes from making the chase appear smaller: quick twos, hard singles, and boundary shots which come without a huge backswing or long preparation.

That style also changes bowling plans. Captains love to build pressure with balls which don’t score, but Litchfield turns many “good balls” into one run. Once the field spreads, Australia’s middle order gets the match in easy control.

There’s another aspect: Litchfield is left handed, like Mandhana, and that similarity matters. It changes angles for right arm fast bowlers, it challenges off spin lines, and it often tempts captains into bowling their best match-up earlier than planned.

In Brisbane, she gave Australia early energy. In Hobart, she’ll try to do the same, because Australia’s cleanest wins often begin with a low stress Powerplay where they’re 45 for 1 instead of 30 for 2.

Powerplay Patterns That Might Decide the Series

ODIs are long, but India versus Australia rarely feels slow. The top order shapes everything, and both teams have certain turning points.

For India, the danger area is overs 3 to 8. That’s where movement can still hurt, and the desire to “keep up” with Australia can pull a batter into the drive too early. When Mandhana survives that period, India’s scoring options grow because she’s so good square of the wicket once the ball gets softer.

For Australia, the key period is overs 7 to 15. If an opponent can remove one opener, then bowl a tight spell of spin with ring fields, Australia can get stuck at a run a ball for a while. That’s when they begin to hit the longer boundaries, and wickets can come in groups. So, India’s clearest route to victory in Hobart appears to be early control of the swing, taking a wicket within the opening six overs, and then applying strong pressure during the initial spin bowling period.

Australia’s most straightforward path is simpler – avoid losing both opening batters for low scores, maintain a good scoring rate in the chase, and allow Mooney and their all-rounders to finish the job.

The Presence of Left-Handed Openers

The presence of left-handed openers, and why it isn’t just for show,

A left-handed opener requires consistent changes to the field setup; it’s not merely about bowling right-arm versus left-arm, but rather about a captain’s ability to maintain both an aggressive cover and a restricted midwicket simultaneously.

Mandhana particularly enjoys the ball in her area for hitting, from a good length, especially when the bowlers drift towards her pads. While she is able to find gaps when Australia bowls full and straight, her most powerful shots are when a bowler misses their target by a small amount.

Litchfield, conversely, is content to take the runs that bowlers practically give away. This makes it difficult to contain her, and is the reason why her scores in the thirties can feel like fifties in terms of control of the match.

The fact that both are left-handed also means that the bowlers’ best strategies can look similar, even though the way they are carried out is different: aiming for the top of the off stump, using a wobbling seam, and a field arrangement that turns potential fours into twos.

Bowlers to Watch in Hobart

Hobart generally favours bowlers who can bowl with good length and allow the conditions to do the rest. It can swing the ball at the start, and it can provide a little grip once the pitch has worn, particularly when spinners bowl into the pitch, rather than simply tossing it up.

For India, the important thing is to use the new ball with care. If the fast bowlers try too hard for wickets by bowling too wide, Australia’s openers will simply guide the ball through the point region. India require a tight line on the off stump, with a slip fielder, and a third fielder in the infield who is quick enough to stop easy dabs.

For Australia, the usual plan against Mandhana begins with movement of the ball away from the bat and a crowded off-side field. If they can make Mandhana play the ball in front of her body early on, mistakes are more likely – especially given the extra bounce that Australian pitches can offer, even outside of Brisbane.

Spin bowling can become a strategic element. Mandhana can attack spin bowlers, but she prefers to know the length of the delivery. If a spinner varies their pace and pulls her forward, lofted shots become more dangerous. Litchfield, though, is more likely to nudge spin around and wait for a short ball, meaning fielders save runs more often than bowlers actually dismiss her.

The Impact of Leadership and the Harmanpreet Effect

India’s concern about their captain’s injury could affect the top order more than people realise. If Harmanpreet Kaur isn’t completely fit, India’s batting line-up may need an “insurance” batter at number three earlier than expected, which could change how freely the openers play.

Mandhana already took on more responsibility in Brisbane when Harmanpreet didn’t play in the field. This type of leadership role can improve concentration, but it can also cause a batter to feel they must bat for 35 overs in every match.

India’s best form is when Mandhana can be attacking without feeling she has to be perfect. This means the other opener and the number three batter must accept their roles: absorb pressure, rotate the strike, and prevent the innings from becoming a one-player effort to rescue it.

Australia do not have the same problem with balance. Their system is stable, and their middle order is able to recover from a setback, which is why the battle between the openers is so important for India – they need to cause the setback themselves.

Where each opener can influence the field

Mandhana’s most effective periods in ODIs are usually when she begins to reach midwicket and long on without hitting powerfully. As soon as she can flick a length ball for four, captains will move a fielder square, and then her cover drive will open up again.

When facing pace bowling, watch for her initial boundary options: extra cover and midwicket. If these come early, the innings is likely to progress well.

Litchfield’s important areas are point and third man, plus a late strike through cover when bowlers over-correct their line. If she is getting singles behind square on the off side, it means she is seeing the ball well, and it means bowlers are failing to bowl their intimidating lengths. In Hobart, where getting the timing right is often more important than hitting it with strength, both opening batters could well prefer a ‘hard four’ – a well-placed boundary – to a ‘big six’. That is good for Mandhana’s traditional style of play, and for Litchfield’s placement too; so the first ten overs of these next two one-day internationals might very well be similar.

The question of Pressure to Chase versus Setting a Target: Who Gains Advantage?

Mandhana’s most successful ODI innings usually happen when India are setting a total, and she is able to pick her times to attack. When chasing, a quicker start is needed if wickets are lost, and then she sometimes has to play shots she would normally hold back.

Litchfield appears to be ideal for chasing. Her style of play assesses what is needed, keeps the score going, and does not get worried if a bowler has a quiet over. That quality is even more useful if the second ODI is of the 240 to 255 type of game, which Hobart is capable of creating.

India could change this situation by making the chase difficult. An early wicket, a slow ten-over period, and a couple of tight overs from spin bowling could turn Litchfield from someone who controls the tempo, into a batter who must take risks.

What to Observe, Ball by Ball, in the Next ODI

Pay attention to Mandhana’s first twenty balls. If she is letting good balls go, playing the ball late, and still getting two boundaries without hitting the ball hard, India are in a strong position.

Pay attention to Litchfield’s first fifteen balls. If she is turning the ball over without taking risks and making India spread the field, Australia are already winning the tactical fight.

Also, watch how patient the captains are. The side which saves their best bowler for the correct match-up, rather than using them simply because they are the best, will win overs in the middle of the innings and set up the end of the game.

Important Points

Conclusion

The series is being decided in the first ten overs, and that is why the match between Smriti Mandhana and Phoebe Litchfield feels like the main event, even when other players make more runs. Mandhana is trying to give India a base which does not fall apart, while Litchfield is trying to make every chase seem smaller than it is.

Hobart will not give anything away easily, so the next ODI should reward the opener who remains patient without being too cautious. Watch the Powerplay choices closely, as by the time the final overs arrive, the battle between the openers may already have decided the outcome.