pc: news24online
India has announced a 16-player ODI squad for the three-match series against Australia from December. The only major change in the team is the exclusion of opener Shafali Verma, who has struggled for form in the 50-over format this year. Verma, who has scored only 108 runs in six matches in 2024, has not scored a half-century in ODIs since 2022. Such inconsistent performances have seen him benched for this series against the reigning world champions.
Shafali Verma's ODI struggle
This is the second time in 2024 that Verma has been left out of the ODI setup. He was dropped in December 2023 and then after coming back into the team with Smriti Mandhana in June, his recent form does not justify his selection. Verma has performed well in Test and T20 cricket, but her lack of performance in ODIs ahead of the 2026 ICC Women's World Cup is a matter of concern for the team management. It is a big blow for them to secure an opening spot in next year's World Cup as India has been announced to host the event.
Key players dropped from the team
Along with Shafali Verma, some other players have also been left out of the team. Uma Chhetri, Dayalan Hemlata, Shreyanka Patil and Sayli Satghare have lost their places in the ODI setup after several strategic decisions by the selectors. These omissions have opened the way for new faces to step in and leave their mark.
A look at #TeamIndia‘s ODI squad for the upcoming tour of Australia #AUSWIN pic.twitter.com/q0LRy53sSD
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) November 19, 2024
Harleen Deol and Richa Ghosh return
Verma will make way for the dynamic batting talent along with the match-winning fielding skills of Harleen Deol in the national team. Richa Ghosh also returns for this ODI series. New faces like Minnu Mani, Titas Sadhu and Priya Punia have been included in the squad after winning the two-match ODI series 2-1 against New Zealand in October. The selectors' intentions with these new players indicate that they want to build a strong team before these important series.
Harmanpreet Kaur will command the team
Despite questions being raised over her captaincy after India's poor performance in the T20 World Cup, Harmanpreet Kaur will lead India in the ODI format as well, with Smriti Mandhana as the vice-captain. The series is part of the ICC Women's Championship, with Indian Women taking on the defending champions in Brisbane and Perth in what is likely to be a really tough test for India.
Indian team for Australia tour: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Renuka Singh Thakur, Radha Yadav, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Priya Punia, Yastika Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Minnu Mani, Harleen Deol, Titas Sadhu, Priya Mishra, Arundhati Reddy, Tejal Hassabnis, Saima Thakor.
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