Batsman Jemimah Rodrigues and all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar have been named in India’s Test and white-ball squad for the upcoming home series against South Africa, but their selection will depend on their fitness.
Rodriguez missed the five-match T20I series in Bangladesh in April-May due to a back injury and underwent rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. However, Vastrakar played all five matches for Bangladesh and the BCCI press statement did not specify the nature of the injury.
Unlimited wicket-keeper batsman Uma Chetry was also included in all three teams. She replaced the injured Yastika Bhatia after playing just one T20I for Bangladesh. Chhetri was also part of India’s Asian Games squad that won the gold medal by defeating Sri Lanka in Hangzhou 2023.
Top batsman Priya Punia, who last played for India in July 2023, has been called up to the Test squad. Medium-pace Arundhati Reddy, who has played 26 T20Is so far, has also been called up to the Test and ODI squads. However, fast bowler Titas Sadhu, who was part of the T20Is against Bangladesh and India’s last ODI and Test assignment (against Australia last year), was left out.
After a decent performance in WPL 2024 where she took eight wickets in nine matches for Delhi Capitals, Reddy impressed with both ball and bat in the Senior Women’s Inter Zone Multi-Day Trophy in April. She scored 174 runs, including two fifties, and took two wickets in two matches for South Zone.
Legspinner S Asha, who made his T20I debut for Bangladesh, earned his first ODI call-up while D Hemalatha, who returned for the series in Bangladesh, was able to return to ODI action after almost two years. Hemalatha also retained her place in her T20I squad.
Harleen Deol, who was part of the ODI and one-off Test squad against Australia in December-January, has been left out. She suffered a knee injury early in WPL 2024 and underwent surgery in March. Another absentee from the ODI squad against Australia is left-arm spinner Mannat Kashyap.
The women’s tour of India in all formats to South Africa will begin with a three-match ODI series, move on to a one-off Test and end with three T20Is. The ODIs and the daily warm-up game of the visiting side against the Chairman-led XI side will be played in Bengaluru while the remaining matches will be played in Chennai.
One-off testing was not originally part of the ICC FTP. The recent addition comes as BCCI and CSA are trying to promote testing for women. This will be India’s third Test in seven months after they played England and Australia at home in December last year.
India Women’s ODI Squad vs South Africa
Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues (depending on fitness), Richa Ghosh (captain), Uma Chetry (captain), Dayalan Hemalatha, Radha Yadav, Asha Sobhana, Shreyanka Patil. , Saika Ishaque, Pooja Vastrakar (depending on fitness), Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Priya Punia.
India squad takes on South Africa in one-off Women’s Test
Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Shubha Satheesh, Jemimah Rodrigues (depending on fitness), Richa Ghosh (captain), Uma Chetry (captain), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Saika Ishaque, Rajeshwari Gayakwad. , Pooja Vastrakar (depending on fitness), Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Meghna Singh, Priya Punia
India Women’s T20I Squad vs South Africa
Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Uma Chetry (captain), Richa Ghosh (captain), Jemimah Rodrigues (depending on fitness), Sajana Sajeevan, Deepti Sharma, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav. , Amanjot Kaur, Asha Sobhana, Pooja Vastrakar (depending on fitness), Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy.
atmosphere: Almost Isaac