The void left by legends such as Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami is not easy to fill, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said on Monday but also asserted that her young side had grown substantially to be a top contender for this month’s women’s T20 World Cup.

The average age of India’s squad in Australia is 22.8 with Harmanpreet being among the seasoned ones.

“We already miss the experience they shared with us, but these young girls are showing their talent and ability,” said the 29-year-old, speaking at the captains’ media day at Taronga Zoo here.

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will open with a clash between India and defending champion and hosts Australia in Adelaide on February 21.

“In the last two years I’ve gone from being the youngest to one of the oldest in the team,” she said. “They never show that they’re young, they can always do what we expect of them. The team is looking in really good shape and showing what they can do with extra responsibility,” she said.

She is still not over the disappointment of missing the ODI world title in 2017 and Harmanpreet said the T20 World Cup trophy would go a long way in making up for that debacle.

“Our team is growing day by day, everyone is looking so positive,” Harmanpreet said. “It’s going to be very big if we win, I was very surprised at all the reaction from 2017. My parents didn’t tell me, they didn’t want us to feel the pressure.”

Reward to be reaped

She is well aware what a long run in an ICC tournament can do for her country. “If we win the World Cup, there’s no doubt things will change. That tournament would bring a lot of confidence to the girls.”