The Indian Women’s team for the upcoming multi-format series against South Africa was recently declared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The Proteas will visit India for a single Test match as well as a six-match white-ball series that consists of three Twenty20 Internationals and three One-Day Internationals. Star opener Smriti Mandhana will be Harmanpreet Kaur’s successor as she continues to guide the Indian team.
Schedule of the Series
On June 16, the three-match ODI series will kick off South Africa’s visit of India. The one-time Test match is slated for June 28, while the T20I leg will begin on July 5. On July 9, the trip that lasted a month will come to an end.
Important Additions and Worries about Fitness
Jemimah Rodrigues, an experienced batter, and Pooja Vastrakar, a pacer, are available based on medical clearance. A back ailment Jemimah suffered during the Senior Women’s Inter Zonal Multi-Day Trophy kept her out of the T20I series against Bangladesh. At the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, she has since been receiving rehabilitation. Based on a media statement from the BCCI, Vastrakar, who played in all five of the matches in Bangladesh, has an undisclosed injury.
Players that are Uncapped and Returning
Uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Uma Chetry has been included in all three squads, replacing the injured Yastika Bhatia, who played just one T20I in Bangladesh. Top-order batter Priya Punia, who last represented India in July 2023, earned a call-up to the Test side. Medium-pacer Arundhati Reddy, with 26 T20Is under her belt, has been up to the Test and ODI squads.
Notable Selections and Omission
Debuting in T20Is in Bangladesh, legspinner Asha Sobhana received her first call-up for an ODI. Retiring from the T20I team, Dayalan Hemalatha, who made a comeback in the Bangladesh series, is scheduled to play in her first ODI match in almost two years.
In contrast, Harleen Deol, who was included in the team for the one-off Test match against Australia in December and January as well as the One-Day Internationals, was left out because of a knee injury she suffered early in the Twenty24 WPL that required surgery in March.
- The Indian ODI squad: Dayalan Hemalatha, Radha Yadav, Asha Sobhana, Shreyanka Patil, Saika Ishaque, Pooja Vastrakar (subject to fitness), Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, and Priya Punia are among the individuals named as Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues (subject to fitness), Richa Ghosh (wk), Uma Chetry (wk), and Priya Punia
- The Indian Test squad: Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Meghna Singh, Priya Punia, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Saika Ishaque, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar (subject to fitness), Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Shubha Satheesh, Jemimah Rodrigues (subject to fitness), Richa Ghosh (wk), Uma Chetry (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Saika Ishaque, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar (subject to fitness), Arundhati Reddy
- The Indian T20I squad: Smriti Mandhana (vc), Sajana Sajeevan, Deepti Sharma, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Asha Sobhana, Pooja Vastrakar (subject to fitness), Shafali Verma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Uma Chetry (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Jemimah Rodrigues (subject to fitness), Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy
Standby: Saika Ishaque
