Mumbai | India on Saturday drafted in Bharti Fulmali, wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia and uncapped Nandini Sharma in the 15-player squad for the upcoming three-match T20I tour of England followed by the Women's T20 World Cup, starting on June 12.
While specialist batters Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol were excluded, all-rounder Amanjot Kaur and seamer Kashvee Gautam missed out on selection owing to injuries.
Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the Indian side with Smriti Mandhana being her deputy.
Pratika, however, has been named in the squad for the one-off Test against England to be played at the Lord’s between July 10-13 whereas Harleen will lead the India A side in the white ball tour to England.
The selectors preferred Yastika’s experience and skills behind the wickets over Pratika.
"There was a discussion on it,” chairperson of selectors Amita Sharma told reporters here at the BCCI headquarters during the post-selection press conference.
“Since Yastika is more experienced and also gives an option of being a top-order batter along with being a wicketkeeper, so we went in that direction,” Amit added.
Medium pacer Nandini was handed her maiden India call-up after doing well in WPL, where she played 10 matches for Delhi Capitals, taking 17 wickets. She was also part of the India squad that played in the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament in Bangkok in February this year.
The fast bowling line-up also does not feature Pooja Vastrakar, as Renuka Singh Thakur will continue to lead the pace attack with Arundhati Reddy and Kranti Goud behind her.
Harmanpreet said Amanjot has been sidelined for the next “4-5 months”.
“Amanjot is one of our key players but unfortunately she is not available, she is away from cricket for (the next) 4-5 months now,” she said.
“It was very difficult to find someone in her place but we will try someone like Bharti, whatever opportunities she has got, she has tried to prove herself,” Harmanpreet said.
The core squad is similar to the one which won the ODI Women’s World Cup in November last year.
Amita said it was crucial for India to address their bowling woes after the five-match T20I series in South Africa which they lost 1-4.
“I think we were a little lacking in the bowling department initially in South Africa. We were not able to take wickets. We have added two more bowlers, and spoken with the captain (Harmanpreet) and the (head) coach (Amol Muzumdar) as well that we will try to take early wickets,” she said.
Mandhana, Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues are expected to form the top three while the inclusion of Bharti, who did an impressive job lower down the order in the WPL, will help in completing the batting line-up along with other finishers such as Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma.
In fact, Bharti has made her comeback to the India's side after a hiatus of seven years during the recent tour to SA.
Deepti will be at the helm of the spin bowling unit which also has Shreyanka Patil, Shree Charani and Radha Yadav, who has not played for India since the England tour last year.
However, the team’s think tank will be forced to work hard to fill the void created by the absence of Amanjot, who is recovering from a back injury.
“We had replaced Amanjot with Kashvee, who is also injured. We have brought in Nandini in that place now. Amanjot is someone who strengthens all three departments in the team and is difficult to replace. Still, we have high hopes with the team that it will do well,” Amita said.
“In case of Kashvee, there is an issue with her right knee and she will have to undergo surgery,” she added.
India will open their campaign in the T20 World Cup with a game against against Pakistan on June 14 in Birmingham. The final is scheduled for July 5 at Lord's.
India have never won the T20 World title.
There was no place for Anushka Sharma and Uma Chetry, who had toured South Africa. While Anushka will lead the India A side in the T20Is against England, Chetri has been named as a wicketkeeper-batter along with G Kamalini in both the ‘A’ squads.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia termed the one-off Test against England as a “marquee” contest.
“This will be a marquee Test. It’s an excellent opportunity for our players to get the limelight from the Mecca of cricket,” Saikia said.
Squads:
Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali, Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk) Sree Charani, Nandini Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav.
Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Pratika Rawal, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sree Charani, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nandini Sharma, Harleen Deol, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare, Sneh Rana.
