Cricket: Uma, Rashi, Anusha Earn Call-Ups, No Place For Renuka, Richa, Shikha In India’s Squads For Bangladesh Tour

Cricket: Uma, Rashi, Anusha Earn Call-Ups, No Place For Renuka, Richa, Shikha In India’s Squads For (Image Source: Google)

Assam wicketkeeper-batter Uma Chetry, Uttar Pradesh left-arm spinner Rashi Kanojiya, all-rounders, Andhra’s Anusha Bareddy and Kerala’s Minnu Mani (only T20Is) have earned maiden call-ups to the Indian team for the upcoming three-match T20Is and ODIs tour of Bangladesh, starting from July 9.

In the squads released on Sunday night before the team arrives in Bangladesh on July 6, there are surprisingly no places for wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh, right-arm pacers Renuka Singh Thakur and Shikha Pandey, as well as left-arm spinners Radha Yadav and Rajeshwari Gayakwad, with no reason behind their exclusions given in the BCCI statement.

There are also no places for youngsters Shreyanka Patil and Kanika Ahuja, who shone for India A in winning ACC Women’s Emerging Asia Cup in Hong Kong, where Uma was the primary wicketkeeper. Amanjot Kaur, who made her debut in T20Is earlier this year during the tri-series in South Africa, finds a place in both T20I and ODI squads.

For the Bangladesh tour, Uma is the second keeper behind Yastika Bhatia. Pacer Meghana Singh and top-order batter S. Meghana are in T20I squads after being in reserves for the Women’s T20 World Cup, while off-spin all-rounder Sneh Rana is picked only for the ODI squad.  

Left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque, the leading wicket-taker amongst Indian bowlers in the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) with 15 scalps, doesn’t find a place in both squads for the tour of Bangladesh. 

For the ODIs, right-handed batter Priya Punia and left-arm pacer Monica Patel (also in T20Is) have been included after last playing in the home series against South Africa in March 2021.

Harmanpreet Kaur is the captain of both squads, with Smriti Mandhana serving as her deputy. All six matches between India and Bangladesh will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) in Mirpur. The three T20Is between India and Bangladesh will be held on July 9, 11 and 13, followed by three ODIs on July 16, 19 and 22.

The three ODIs are part of the 2022-25 ICC Women’s ODI Championship cycle, contested between 10 teams to determine qualification for the 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup, to be hosted by India. India last played on the international circuit when they lost to Australia by five runs in the semifinal of the Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa in February.   

In the Women’s ODI Championship standings, India sits at the top with 12 points after winning six out of six matches while Bangladesh are in eighth position with three points, having lost two series to New Zealand and Sri Lanka, notably four of their matches being washed out due to rain.

India’s T20I squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Harleen Deol, Devika Vaidya, Uma Chetry (wk), Amanjot Kaur, S. Meghana, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Monica Patel, Rashi Kanojiya, Anusha Bareddy, Minnu Mani.

India’s ODI squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Harleen Deol, Devika Vaidya, Uma Chetry (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Priya Punia, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Monica Patel, Rashi Kanojiya, Anusha Bareddy, Sneh Rana.