What is the main takeaway from Aotearoa's ODI series win over India? Amelia Kerr is Aotearoa's best batter ahead of the home World Cup. Nothing about the 4-1 series win has changed my views on the White Ferns and this is not a space I want to use to highlight key issues that are still prevalent. This is all about Amelia Kerr the batter and how she has transformed from the funky leggy prodigy into a world-class batter, Aotearoa's most important batter for a rather epic home World Cup.

For all the chat about needing a wide variety of players to contribute to White Ferns run-scoring, Kerr stood out above the rest in the series vs India. Kerr batted in all five games with 353 runs @ 117.66avg via 2 not-out innings and Kerr passed 50 runs in four games. Kerr scored at a slick clip of 97.51sr and seems to have settled into a crucial number toru spot; among a top-order of Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine and Amy Satterthwaite.

Kerr's bowling in this series tell the story of her transformation. On the surface Kerr's 7w @ 34.57avg/5.78rpo looks decent as she was tied with older sister Jess for the most wickets and combined world-class batting, wicket-taking and a world-class fielding presence. Kerr did well to take a wicket in every game and her best mahi was in the fourth ODI, taking 3w @ 7.82rpo.

Kerr also took 2w in the lone T20I game and funnily enough, the fourth ODI was flipped into a 20-over contest. While Kerr's T20I bowling has remained solid, her ODI bowling has dipped away and this series reflects this. Without the 3-wicket-haul in a 20-over ODI, Kerr's annual bowling average would be higher than the year before...

2016: 6w @ 20avg/3.54rpo.

2017: 20w @ 21.60avg/4.13rpo.

2018: 13w @ 19.30avg/4.18rpo.

2019: 8w @ 29.87avg/5.15rpo.

2020: 7w @ 33.85avg/4.74rpo.

2021: 6w @ 40.83avg/5.21rpo.

2022: 7w @ 34.57avg/5.78rpo.

I will stay out of the WF weeds where Kerr's ODI bowling is dipping away ahead of a major tournament where all signs point to Kerr operating as the frontline spinner. Thankfully, Kerr's bowling dip is countered by a dramatic rise in her ODI batting. This is evident in her domestic cricket mahi where Kerr is dominant. Here is how her last two summers of Super Smash and Hallyburton Johnston Shield cricket look...

2020/21 Super Smash: 3rd - 11inns, 361 runs @ 51.57avg/134.7sr - 4 x 50.

2020/21 HBJ Shield: 2inns, 80 runs @ 80avg/97.56sr, 1 x 50.

2021/22 Super Smash: 2nd - 10inns, 346 runs @ 34.60avg/115.33sr, 4 x 50.

2021/22 HBJ Shield: 4inns, 178 run @ 59.33avg/83.96sr, 1 x 50.

Wellington have Aotearoa's best talent development system in Aotearoa and this forms the foundations for Kerr hitting a nek level. Such progress is then evident in Kerr's international mahi and while this is easy to lay out in an Aotearoa context when more WF losses mean less run-scoring, Kerr has gone beyond the Aotearoa context and is among the best batters in the world.

Since the start of 2019, Kerr has 608 runs @ 33.77avg/77.45sr. This is second to Amy Satterthwaite for Aotearoa who is 5th (989 runs @ 44.95avg) in the world for runs during this period, while Kerr is 18th.

Since the start of 2020, Kerr has 560 runs @ 40avg/80.69sr. Satterthwaite is still 5th in this period (643 runs @ 37.82avg) and Kerr moves up to 7th in the world. Satterthwaite's average during this period drops slightly, while Kerr's increases slightly.

Since the start of 2021, Kerr has 524 runs @ 65.50avg/85.90sr. Satterthwaite is still ahead of Kerr for runs in this period, although Satterthwaite is 6th, Kerr is 7th and Satterthwaite's average (532 runs @ 38avg) drops again. Kerr almost has as many runs as Satterthwaite while playing five games less than Satterthwaite.

Not only has Kerr chased down Sattertwhaite in efficiency and is a smidge behind her as far as straight up runs go, Kerr now exists among the elite batters in the world. Since the start of 2021 only 10 batters have scored 400+ runs, meaning that Satterthwaite and Kerr are among the 10 best batters in the world during this period.

Of that group of 10 batters, only three batters have scored 400+ runs while averaging over 60. Indian powerhouse Mithali Raj is 1st for runs in this period with 735 runs @ 66.81avg, then South Africa's Lizelle Lee is 3rd for runs with 632 runs @ 90.28avg. Averaging 65.50 is Kerr and that presents a case for Kerr being among the elite of the elite.

Take that case and add this to it: Kerr is the only batter in the world (since start of 2021) with 500+ runs and a strike-rate over 80. India's Smriti Mandhana is the only other batter with 400+ runs and a strike-rate over 80.

Obviously my Aotearoa love leads me to celebrate Kerr as the best batter in the world and without that bias, Kerr is at least top-five. There is also a splash of funk present as Kerr is scoring an elite amount of runs with the highest strike-rate and this is evident when watching Kerr bat as she plays a wide variety of strokes, attacks pockets that others can't, snatches quick singles and flips singles into a couple runs.

Slide back to the Aotearoa context and the only other batter with a strike-rate over 80 since the start of 2021 is Suzie Bates. Bates only averages 24.20 in this period though, while Sophie Devine averages 19.84 and no other WF batter averages 30+ apart from Satterthwaite.

Only three batters have scored 4,000+ ODI runs for Aotearoa; Bates, Satterthwaite and Debbie Hockley. Kerr ticked past 1,000 ODI runs in the series vs India and feels destined to nudge into that 4,000 run crew...

Suzie Bates: 129inns, 4,790 runs @ 40.94avg.

Amy Satterthwaite: 132inns, 4,464 runs @ 38.81avg.

Debbie Hockley: 115inns, 4,064 runs @ 41.89avg.

Amelia Kerr: 35inns, 1,039 runs @ 39.96avg.

Kerr is the only current WF with an ODI average in the same realm as the three legends.

Perfect timing for Kerr as an Aotearoa World Cup serves as a stage for Kerr to perform, thus a greater understanding of Kerr's prowess as a batter. Kerr can also impact games with her leggies and her fielding, both of which are also of a high calibre. Given that Kerr was taking a mindfulness break last summer, there is an intriguing phase coming up as Kerr will operate as the main spinner and best batter for Aotearoa in this World Cup.

Without Leigh Kasperek, Kerr's bowling may be more important than her batting - even though she is a better ODI batter than bowler right now. There is also a low key decline in ODI batting for Bates and Devine, plus Satterthwaite's consistent run-scoring hasn't amounted to wins. If those three aren't dominant, then pressure will increase for Kerr to step up and there is no bigger moment than this Aotearoa World Cup.

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Peace and love.