India’s Women’s cricket team suffered a setback as Jemimah Rodrigues was ruled out of the ongoing ODI series against Australia due to a viral fever. The star middle-order batter, whose presence was expected to stabilize India’s innings, will miss the crucial second match scheduled for Wednesday. Rodrigues had contributed just 18 runs in the first ODI on September 14 but remained a key figure given India’s need to chase substantial totals. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that the medical team is monitoring her condition closely. In an official statement, BCCI said, “The BCCI medical team is monitoring her progress." In her absence, reserve batter Tejal Hasabnis has been drafted into the squad. It remains unclear whether Hasabnis will feature immediately or if Yastika Bhatia will retain her spot in the playing XI for the remaining two ODIs. Read also: RP Singh, Pragyan Ojha apply for BCCI selection panel Team Adjustments and Series Implications Rodrigues had earlier showcased excellent form on England’s tour, scoring a half-century at Chester-le-Street in the final ODI, following up a 48 in the opening match. Across 11 ODIs this year, she has amassed 479 runs at an average of nearly 48, including two centuries. This performance marks her career-best consistency since 2023, when she scored 255 runs at 63.75 across five games. India will now rely heavily on Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma to anchor the innings and build significant totals. In the opening ODI, India posted 281, with a 114-run opening stand between Pratika Rawal and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. However, the total proved insufficient against a strong Australian side, leaving India 30 runs short. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur emphasized that India must improve across batting, bowling, and fielding to stay competitive. A victory in Wednesday’s clash is critical for India’s morale and would set a positive tone ahead of the World Cup. It will also keep India alive in the series. Meanwhile, Australia won the toss and decided to field first in the 2nd ODI match. Playing XI for both teams: India XI: Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Goud, Renuka Singh Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Georgia Voll, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Darcie Brown, Megan Schutt