Senior Indian Women Cricketers Face Surprising Squad Exclusions in T20I Series Against Bangladesh
India’s senior women cricketers are set to return to action for the first time since the 2023 Women’s Premier League (WPL) as they gear up to take on Bangladesh in an upcoming series of three ODIs and three T20Is later this month. However, the announcement of India’s T20I squad by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has raised a few eyebrows with unexpected exclusions and surprise inclusions.
Several big names like Richa Ghosh, Renuka Singh Thakur, and Shikha Pandey have been left out of the squad, leaving fans surprised and questioning the decision. Alongside them, uncapped talents like Shreyanka Patil have also missed out on a spot.
The selected T20I squad for India includes captain Harmanpreet Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Yastika Bhatia, Harleen Deol, Devika Vaidya, Uma Chetry, Amanjot Kaur, S. Meghana, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Monica Patel, Rashi Kanojiya, Anusha Bareddy, and Minnu Mani.
While some surprise picks have made the cut, they may be lacking merit in their inclusion. One of these picks is Monica Patel, who has played two ODIs for Team India without taking any wickets. Her performances for the Gujarat Giants in the WPL 2023 were unimpressive, returning only one wicket while being expensive in both games.
Furthermore, Monica has failed to leave a mark in domestic cricket for Karnataka, and her lack of pace and standout skills raise doubts about her selection. With Anjali Sarvani already present as a left-arm pacer, Monica’s inclusion seems unnecessary at this stage of her career.
Additionally, India has decided to leave out Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Radha Yadav, who were the primary left-arm spinners before WPL 2023. Instead, two young left-arm spinners, Rashi Kanojiya and Anusha Bareddy, have been given the opportunity. While Anusha has showcased decent performance and batting skills at the ACC Emerging Trophy, Rashi’s limited exposure at the top level questions her selection over more established players.
Lastly, Meghna Singh’s inclusion in the T20I squad remains questionable. While she has impressed in ODIs, taking 15 wickets in 15 matches at an economy rate of 5, her recent form and performance in T20Is have been underwhelming. Going unsold at the WPL 2023 auction and failing to make an impact in the games against Australia last December are red flags that raise doubts about her selection.
Furthermore, Meghna’s lack of batting ability makes her inclusion even more questionable. Considering other accomplished fast bowlers like Shikha Pandey who have performed well in recent tournaments, it is unclear why Meghna was prioritized.
With the series against Bangladesh approaching, it will be interesting to see if these unexpected selections can prove their worth on the field and justify the omissions of more established players. The decision to exclude experienced cricketers in favor of untested talents comes with its fair share of risks, and the selectors’ choices will be closely scrutinized as the matches unfold.
In the end, only time will tell if these surprise exclusions and inclusions pay off for the Indian women’s cricket team. The upcoming series against Bangladesh will undoubtedly provide a platform for these players to step up and showcase their abilities, but whether they can live up to expectations remains to be seen.
