Sophie Molineux has been ruled out of the remainder of Australia’s multi-format series against India Women with lower back soreness, dealing the hosts another significant injury setback as India Women won the toss and elected to bat first in the second ODI at Bellerive Oval, Hobart on February 27, 2026. The news confirmed that Australia’s preparation for the final two ODIs and the historic one-off Women’s Test at the WACA has been severely disrupted, with three frontline players now unavailable across the series.
Sophie Molineux Out: The Significance of the Loss
Sophie Molineux absence is arguably the most significant of Australia’s three injury setbacks in this series. Sophie Molineux was already being lined up to take the captaincy across all formats when Alyssa Healy completes her international retirement at the end of this series, making her not merely a current squad member but the designated future leader of Australian women’s cricket.
Lower back pain has ended her participation in the series entirely, meaning she will miss both remaining ODIs in Hobart and the one-off Test at the WACA that follows. Nicola Carey, the allrounder, has been included in Australia’s XI as her direct replacement the only change from the side that won the first ODI by six wickets at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Tuesday. (Sophie Molineux)
Ellyse Perry and Kim Garth, both ruled out of the ODI leg with quad injuries sustained during the T20I series, remain in the squad but are in serious doubt for the Test match in Perth. The combination of those three absences means Australia are operating at significantly below full strength heading into the most important match of the ODI series, with the multi-format contest perfectly balanced at four points apiece.
India Make 2 Tactical Changes as Harmanpreet Returns
India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has returned to full fitness after the leg niggle that prevented her from taking the field during Australia’s innings in the first ODI a development that provides a major boost for the visitors. She won the toss for the second consecutive time in this series and elected to bat first under sunny conditions on what is expected to be a flat Bellerive Oval surface, a surface that traditionally favours batters across the first two innings.
India have made two changes to their lineup. Left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma will make her ODI debut in Hobart having already played five T20Is for India, while seam-bowling allrounder Amanjot Kaur has also been included. They come in to replace Shafali Verma and fast bowler Renuka Singh, both of whom have been rested by team management ahead of the Test match.
The decision to rest Shafali and Renuka reflects India’s broader priority of managing workloads ahead of the historic WACA Test, but it also represents a calculated risk both are first-choice players in 50-over cricket and their absence will place greater responsibility on the shoulders of those coming into the XI. Vaishnavi Sharma’s ODI debut is a milestone moment in her career, and she arrives in the playing XI on a surface expected to offer her flight and turn as the surface deteriorates through the innings.
Series Context: India Chasing Historic First
The second ODI in Hobart carries enormous stakes for both sides. Australia bounced back from their 1-2 T20I series defeat with a commanding performance at Brisbane on Tuesday a six-wicket victory that squared the multi-format contest and provided a perfect launchpad for Healy’s farewell tour. For India, the result was a stark reminder of the scale of the challenge they face on Australian soil.
India are chasing their first-ever ODI series win against Australia a landmark that has eluded every previous generation of Indian women cricketers and one that the current squad, fresh from their historic 2025 Women’s World Cup triumph on home soil, is determined to achieve. The two sides last met in a major knockout match at that World Cup, where India shocked Australia in the semi-final to begin their run to the title, and both teams are acutely aware of that history as they square up at Bellerive Oval.
Weather and Conditions at Bellerive Oval
Conditions in Hobart are expected to be ideal for a full day’s cricket. There is no rain forecast across the day, and the sunny skies that greeted both teams at the toss are expected to hold for the remainder of the match. Bellerive Oval’s surface, described by groundstaff as flat and true, is expected to provide a fair contest between bat and ball in the early stages before playing progressively better for batting as the match develops. The third and final ODI of the series is also scheduled to be played in Hobart on Sunday, March 1, giving both teams back-to-back matches at the same venue.
The Playing XIs
Australia have named: Alyssa Healy, Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Nicola Carey, Alana King, Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown. India will field: Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Amanjot Kaur, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, Kashvee Gautam, Sree Charani, Kranti Gaud and Vaishnavi Sharma.
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