New Delhi, Oct. 8 -- Two matches into the World Cup and India have ticked the win column twice - against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. On the surface level, it all looks good but the batting card tells a worrying story. For a line-up that prides itself on knowing the subcontinent so well, the runs haven't flowed as expected. So far, India's batters have accounted for just two fifties from Harleen Deol and Deepti Sharma. India have successfully tied down their subcontinental opponents with only the exception of Bangladesh remaining but with that leg complete, the upcoming challenge of SENA countries requires them to really step up. While the team's average scores have been enough to see off less formidable opponents, the lack of partnerships and low strike rates hint at problems ahead when they face South Africa, Australia, England and New Zealand next. Their in-form batter and tempo-setter Smriti Mandhana has maintained time and again that the team is not dependent on her contributions alone. However, her failure in both matches saw the batting struggle a little. So far, she has managed just 31 runs in two innings at an average of 15.5. More concerning is her strike rate of 73.80, symptomatic of a broader problem at the top where India haven't been able to dominate the powerplay. Her timing wasn't great in Guwahati and Colombo - pitches with a bit of spice. While paltry returns against modest attacks do not bode well, it is a long tournament with more batting friendly conditions awaited. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur's returns have also been underwhelming. With scores of 40 runs in two innings at a strike rate of 75.47, she's yet to impose herself in the middle order. She is coming in at No 4 but her presence is meant to provide acceleration. Instead, India's run rate dipped during partnerships between Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol and Harmanpreet and Deol in the second match. For someone who thrives on big-match energy, Harman's tentativeness instead of an assurance will need to change as India now hopes to unlock another level. Even the team's most consistent contributors haven't been able to push the scoring rate. Deepti Sharma, despite a handy 25 against Pakistan and 53 against Sri Lanka, is striking at just 70.83, while Harleen Deol, India's top run-getter so far (94 runs at 47.00), has been scoring at under 73. These numbers have gotten the job done but they're far from the intent and urgency required in modern-day ODIs. Rawal and Deol have delivered the runs in both matches but they would be keen to convert their starts into bigger knocks and ensure they both don't go back into a shell when the situation demands upping the ante. Their styles are similar and as a result, they both end up anchoring an innings when faster scoring is needed or atleast one of them needs to be the aggressor. Among the positives, Sneh Rana's run-a-ball 28 and Richa Ghosh's brisk 35 against Pakistan at a strike rate of 175 stand out. Amanjot Kaur's balanced 57 and even Jemimah Rodrigues' 32 against Pakistan came at a healthy strike-rate. They've shown what India desperately needs more of - intent through the middle and lower order. Yet those flashes have been isolated. Moreover, it doesn't help that potential match-winners Rodrigues and Ghosh are not slotted in the batting order in a way that maximises their batting. They should be coming in earlier, facing more overs. This pattern reveals that India's run accumulation is happening in pockets because in both matches, the top and middle orders have not fired in unison. And when the anchors (like Kaur or Mandhana) bat without fluency, it forces the rest to rebuild rather than accelerate. In many ways, these early matches have been kind to India, allowing them to get away with inconsistency. But the margin for such errors vanishes against higher-ranked teams who are up next. South Africa's pace attack, Australia's tactical nuance, England's variety, and New Zealand's spin attack will all test India's ability to score at 5+ runs an over consistently. Unless the seniors rediscover their rhythm and the batters' strike rates climb closer to the 90s, India risk entering the tougher stretch of the tournament undercooked. The wins may be in the bag, but the batting still feels like it is stuck in second gear, when the road demands operating on at least the fourth gear....