India will always be a threat: Matthew Mott

Mathew Mott, head coach of Australia, is wary of India's powerful batting unit and believes they will pose a huge threat to Australia in the T20I tri-series and the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup that is to follow.

Mott's concern stems from the fact that India is one of only two teams to have beaten Australia since January 2018 - England being the other. India trounced Australia by 48 runs in the group stage of the T20 World Cup held in West Indies in November 2018, while England got the better of them in the final T20I of the Ashes series held in England last year.

India are set to kick-off their T20 World Cup campaign against Australia on February 21, in what is likely to be a high-voltage clash. However, before the mega event, both teams will have a chance to get a closer look at each other in the T20I tri-series also involving England.

India's batting unit, led by Harmanpreet Kaur is now bolstered by teenage sensation Shafali Verma. With the likes of Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and now an in-form Veda Krishnamurthy, they have plenty of power in their ranks.

While vice-captain Rachael Haynes has already fired the first shots saying Australia will come up with plans to counter the attacking Shafali, Mott is taking the more cautious approach, saying Australia will use the tri-series to finalise their plans.

"There's no doubt their strength is the batting," Mott told ESPNcricinfo. "They've got four world-class batters and when I say world-class I mean top of the tree guns. They will always be a threat."

"Their bowling, their plans have worked quite well over the years, but I think that's their biggest area for growth. They probably need to produce some more fast bowlers. In a T20 they would be the most feared batting line-up - ours is pretty feared but with them, you know that if you take a wicket another good player just keeps rolling out."

"That tri-series comes at a perfect time. We've always viewed the next month as a really good opportunity to play against the two other best teams in the world. It can't get any better. If we dropped a couple of games there it's not the end of the world and we expect to be taken to task."

Australia have included rookie Annabel Sutherland in what otherwise is a very experienced T20 World Cup squad. The hosts have been grouped alongside India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, with the top two teams qualifying for the knockouts.

Alyssa Healy, who was unable to bat in that lost league encounter against India in the Caribbean due to a concussion, told ESPNcricinfo that she believes it is good Australia are playing their toughest opponents at the very start.

"For us, it's almost a blessing playing India upfront, it will be a real test of how we are going as a group and how they are going as well," Healy said. "They are a world-class side and when they are playing well they are hard to stop. I actually think they are very strong in Australian conditions as well, they have a lot of players who have been out to play Big Bash and a lot of players in that India A series. They'll be hard to stop, but we know if we are playing our best cricket we are the No. 1 team in the world and we should be able to handle it."

While none of the Indians were able to participate in the first ever standalone Women's Big Bash League, there were other players from all around the world who gained valuable experience in Australian conditions. The likes of Sophie Devine, Mignon du Preez, Chloe Tryon, Nida Dar and Danielle Wyatt made their marks on the tournament, and took back with them an understanding of what it takes to succeed in Australia.

Healy admitted that while such things are good for the growth and development of the women's game, she hopes the players didn't learn too much during their time in Australia!

"Hundred percent, and that's what's been so good about the WBBL, a lot of players from around the world get experience in our conditions."

"Being slightly biased we'd have loved them not to play this year just to take that out of play, but it's great to have them here," she joked. "Sophie Devine is in red-hot form and to have New Zealand in our pool, I think we have a really tricky pool, and the two teams that go through to the semis are going to have to earn it. Hopefully, they don't take too many learnings from the Big Bash into their own sides, but hopefully, there's some good cricket."