INDIA WOMEN – INJURY UPDATE
Reddy was hit on the knee and had to be helped off the field © Getty
India suffered an injury scare ahead of the World Cup 2025 campaign with medium-pace allrounder Arundhati Reddy wheeled off the field in their first official warmup at the BCCI CoE in Bengaluru on Thursday (September 25).
The incident occurred in the 13th over of England’s batting, after India – under Jemimah Rodrigues – opted to bowl first. After two no-balls on the trot and conceding a six off the second, Arundhati managed to squeeze in a dot, which the batter, Heather Knight, sent back in her direction, inadvertently hitting the bowler on her left knee.
Arundhati fell to the ground immediately in pain, and was shouldered off by teammates to the ropes, from where she went for an immediate check at the CoE on a wheelchair. Skipper Rodrigues sent down the two remaining deliveries of the over.
The exact extent or nature of her injury is yet to be ascertained, but an encouraging sign is that Arundhati was back on her feet, albeit limping, during the rain-forced break in the game. She is, although unlikely to take any further part in the game with India’s World Cup opener less than a week away.
India have already suffered an injury blow in the leadup to the home World Cup when Yastika Bhati sustained an ACL tear at the skills camp in Vizag. Bhatia is unlikely to make a timely recovery for the fourth edition of Women’s Premier League, to be played in January-February 2026. India, meanwhile, had added Uma Chetry as a replacement. Bhatia has since undergone the surgery and will be reporting for rehab at the CoE early next month.
India’s pace bowling unit within the 15 is spearheaded by Renuka Thakur, who herself marked her comeback in the preceding series against Australia after spending nearly five months on the sidelines and in a race against time. Amanjot Kaur, the medium-pace allrounder, is yet to play competitive cricket since being sidelined in the ODI leg of India’s England tour. Amanjot was rested for the Australia bilaterals and has since linked up with the squad in Bengaluru, but did not feature in the eleven for the warm-up. Kranti Goud is the only other pacer in India’s World Cup fifteen.
India also rested the leadership pair Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, and opener Pratika Rawal – all three sure-starters – for the practice match.
© Cricbuzz
