Australia will host seventh-placed India in a three-match ODI series, starting in Canberra on Tuesday with an aim to strengthen their claims of directly qualifying for next year's ICC Women's World Cup in England.
The top four sides from the ICC Women's Championship will gain automatic qualification for the event proper, which is to be staged in England from 4-27 August, while the bottom four sides will get a final chance of qualification through the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier in 2017.
Australia currently has the same number points as the West Indies, but it has played one less round of matches. A series win against India will give it the sole possession of the top spot in the Championship table.
England, meanwhile, needs to win all the three matches if it wants to displace South Africa from the fourth spot.
Australia, despite losing the Twenty20 International series 1-2, will start as favourite against India. It has won eight of the nine Championship matches to date, has the home advantage as well as an impressive 13-3 head-to-head record against Mitali Raj's side.
Australia is keen to win this series, but it has an eye on the bigger picture as well.
India, meanwhile, has a chance to rise as high as fourth in the Championship table if it wins all three games. India is yet to win a series in the Championship to date, having lost to New Zealand and South Africa at home by an identical margin of 2-1, and to England 2-0.
