It will be a trial by fire for skipper Harmanpreet Kaur as India begin preparations for next year's World Cup with the three-match ODI series against New Zealand starting on Thursday, having recently endured another failure at claiming an ICC title.
The series will be vital for Kaur who has faced flak for her captaincy during the recently-held T20 World Cup in the UAE, where India failed to clear the group stage even though the skipper emerged as the team's highest scorer in the tournament.
While India look to get their act right after the forgettable outing in the UAE, New Zealand will be on a high having lifted the T20 World Cup trophy with a clinical performance throughout the tournament, barring their group game against Australia.
Kaur, 35, retained her place as captain despite questions about her leadership in recent times, and in the series against New Zealand, she will have to manage without the services of big-hitting wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh, who is due to appear in her 12th standard board exams.