Seven potential Test debutants included in India’s squad for the pink-ball match in Perth
Pratika Rawal has been named in an India squad for the first time since her horror World Cup-ending ankle injury, and is one of seven uncapped players named for the day-night Test at the WACA Ground in March.
India on Saturday revealed a 15-strong squad for the match against Australia, which will be held from March 6-9 as the finale to the multi-format series which starts with the shortest format from February 15.
They had already confirmed their squads for the three T20Is and three ODIs earlier this month.
Rawal was enjoying a breakout ODI World Cup – and debut year – at the top of the order alongside Smriti Mandhana when she was struck down in India’s final round-robin match.
She had hit 308 runs in six innings at the tournament before breaking her ankle after slipping on the wet outfield at Navi Mumbai and while she has missed selection in the ODI squad to meet Australia, she is expected to be fit for the Test.
India’s squad includes core batters Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh, alongside allrounder Deepti Sharma and key quick Renuka Singh Thakur.
They have also included a sprinkling of youth, with seven players yet to debut in the Test arena including 20-year-old left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma, who made her international debut last December.
Krant Gaud and Amanjot Kaur, both part of India’s World Cup-winning ODI team, could also make their Test bows.
India have been forced into one change across all formats however, after back-up wicketkeeper G Kamalini was struck down by injury in the ongoing Women’s Premier League, with Uma Chetry named as her replacement.
Australia are expected to name their squads for the multi-format series in the coming weeks.
The impending retirement of captain Alyssa Healy means a new T20I skipper will be unveiled, alongside a replacement for Healy at the top of the order.
Beth Mooney is expected to take the wicketkeeping gloves in the shortest format, but the selections could also offer an insight into who is the next ‘keeper in line, while question marks also remain over the make-up of Australia’s bowling attack.
Healy will feature in the ODIs and Test before hanging up the gloves for good.
The series will be the first time the fierce rivals have met since India upset Australia in last October’s ODI World Cup semi-final in Navi Mumbai.
NRMA Insurance Australia v India Multi-Format Series
Australia squads: TBC
India white-ball squads: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Renuka Thakur, Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, G Kamalini, Kashvee Gautam (ODI only), Arundhati Reddy (T20 only), Amanjot Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali (T20 only), Shreyanka Patil (T20 only), Harleen Deol (ODI only)
India Test squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, Renuka Singh, Sneh Rana, Amanjot Kaur, Uma Chetry, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Vaishnavi Sharma, Sayali Satghare
February 15: First T20 v India, SCG, 7:15pm AEDT
February 19: Second T20 v India, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 7:15pm AEDT
February 21: Third T20 v India, Adelaide Oval, 7:15pm AEDT
February 24: First ODI v India, Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 2:50pm AEDT
February 27: Second ODI v India, Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 2:50pm AEDT
March 1: Third ODI v India, Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 2:50pm AEDT
March 6-9: Test match v India, WACA Ground, 4:20pm AEDT (D/N)
