Innings India 370 for 5 (Rodrigues 102, Harleen 89, Mandhana 73, Rawal 67, Prendergast 2-75, Kelly 2-82) vs Ireland

Ireland were sent on a leather hunt as each of India's top four enjoyed batting time without having to contend with any pressure associated with an international game. The end result was India posting 370 for 5 after electing to bat in Rajkot, with Jemimah Rodrigues being the only one of those batters to convert her half-century into three figures.

Along the way, Rodrigues went past her previous best of 86 to notch up her maiden international century in her seventh year as an India player. This opportunity may have only presented itself because India are missing their regular No. 4, Harmanpreet Kaur who has been rested from the series, and Rodrigues grabbed it with both hands. Harleen Deol, meanwhile, fell 11 short of what could've been her second ODI century in four innings, but not before she shared a 183-run stand for the third wicket with Rodrigues.

The innings began with India's latest opener, Pratika Rawal, exhibiting tremendous stroke play to further make it tougher for the selectors who will at some point also have to re-examine Shafali Verma's case as she bangs the door down with heaps of runs in domestic cricket. Rawal played a back foot punch, the pull in front of square and an exquisite cover drive inside the first three overs to lay down a marker. Her off-side stroke play in particular was quite a delight as she showed the rare ability to pierce a packed off-side ring with regularity.

India's urgency in the powerplay wasn't accompanied with blind slogging but pristine stroke play, even as stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana briefly played second fiddlee in what seemed like a role reversal from the series opener two days ago. That day, Mandhana charged off the blocks, playing her signature pulls, while Rawal buckled down.

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