“Coming into this tour, we weren’t really prepared for these Australian wickets,” Mithali said. “Other than three-four of us, who came here way back during the 2009 World Cup, nobody had played here before. Also, we hadn’t faced Australia since a warm-up one-day game in 2013. Considering all these factors, it’s a sensational win.”

This is India’s first set of matches since the introduction of central contracts for women by the BCCI. Mithali felt her players had vindicated that decision with this triumph.

“We just signed our central contracts. And the girls are quite happy. I’m very happy that we actually proved that we are worth it and deserve them. I’m sure it will motivate the other players and cricketers back in India who want to play for the nation. There are players who are very talented but financially not very secure,” she said.

Crossing paths

The Indian eves’ T20 series against Australia has been scheduled parallel to their male counterparts’ engagements. The women’s matches are held in the afternoon with the men’s teams playing at the same venue in the evening. This had created scope for interaction and learning, Mithali felt.

“This is the first time that we’ve actually crossed paths, where the games are double-headers and the practice sessions are similar too,” Mithali remarked.

“When we cross paths and when we’ve had an interaction, that has really helped. Before the first match, when I had an interaction with the fielding coach (R. Sridhar), we discussed a few things, and the experience has really helped our girls.”

The series victory comes as a shot in the arm for India ahead of the World T20. “It opens up a lot of doors for us,” Mithali said.