Former skipper Meg Lanning feels Australia’s “incredible depth” which has been in full display throughout the tournament gives the seven-time champions an edge over India in the women’s ODI World Cup semifinals in Navi Mumbai on Thursday.

Defending champions Australia are chasing their record-extending eighth title in the tournament and they are the only unbeaten side in the tournament. Australia had beaten India by three wickets in the league stage.

“I think Australia have just got incredible depth. They’ve shown throughout the tournament that they’re not reliant on one or two players,” Lanning told ‘ICC Review’.

“And even if they do lose some early wickets with the bat, there’s some real big power towards the backend that can sort of get them out of different situations,” said 33-year-old Lanning, who won the World Cup twice, including once as captain.

Lanning believes India will miss the scoring power of injured opener Pratika Rawal and reckons that the time is right for captain Harmanpreet Kaur to step up and deliver.

“For India, I am going to go with captain Harmanpreet Kaur. She’s had a good tournament, but she’s probably yet to really explode and dominate a game.

Alive in the tournament by a touch of fortune, hosts India will search for a spark of magic reminiscent of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s legendary knock eight years ago as they take on the mighty Australia in a blockbuster Women’s World Cup semifinal here on Thursday.

Kaur’s 115-ball 171 not out at Derby, England, in 2017 semifinal against Australia was seminal moment which catapulted women’s cricket from the footnote to the headlines.

A victory over the seven-time world champions would not only ignite India’s campaign but also fuel belief that an elusive ICC crown is within reach. For a team that has flirted with inconsistency, Thursday’s game offers India a chance to defeat one of sport’s most dominant sides.

India’s campaign has been as taxing as it can be for a World Cup host, especially when the team had its back pressed firmly against the wall following three defeats on the trot, from which they fought back to find a place in the semifinals. But then they lost a key batter in Pratika Rawal to injury.

There is no room for error now as India are left in the ring with each of those opponents who had outmatched them in league meetings.

But before they take the field, India will face some most pertinent questions on nailing their team combination.

The inclusion of the big-hitting Shafali Verma, who was neither in India’s plans nor among the six reserve players, indeed adds more fuel to the fire. But her record with vice-captain Smriti Mandhana -- 893 runs in 25 innings at 37.20 -- looks inferior to Rawal and Mandhana’s 1,799 runs in 23 innings at 78.21 as an opening pair.