India’s recent winning streak has given them more confidence, but when they gather in Mumbai on Tuesday to choose the team for the ODI World Cup, the women’s selection panel, led by Neetu David, will have to deal with some difficult decisions regarding the inclusion of Shafali Verma and bowler Renuka Thakur.
With its sights set on an elusive world championship, India will host the 50-over World Cup, which will include eight countries, starting on September 30. Pakistan will play all of its matches in Colombo.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s squad enters the World Cup with a lot of confidence after defeating England in both white-ball series and winning the ODI tri-series against South Africa and Sri Lanka in April. To hone its preparations, India will host Australia for three One-Day Internationals before the event.
To determine whether to include the explosive Shafali in an otherwise decided batting lineup that will aim to hone its talents against the Aussies, the selectors may need to spend a few more minutes.
Shafali has struck 3, 47, 31, and 75 against the English team since rejoining the team during the series against England. However, she struggled against Australia A, scoring 3, 3, and 41.
At the top, Smriti Mandhana has established a productive partnership with Pratika Rawal, while the middle-order is sufficiently solidified by Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, and captain Harmanpreet.
Will the selectors, however, upset the balance by including Shafali to provide more firepower? It’s unclear, and the authorities will also evaluate Renuka’s fitness after she was injured and missed the England tour.
Renuka hasn’t played since March, but considering how successfully she can use the new ball to take early wickets, her workload and recuperation status will be sufficiently explored.
The ODIs against Australia would be the perfect opportunity for the right-arm pacer to return if fit, and it would also provide the team management and selectors a chance to assess her readiness for the heavy workload that comes with being the top seam bowler at a home World Cup.
Yastika Bhatia, who recently scored two fifties in three games for India A versus Australia A in Brisbane, could be a suitable backup for Richa Ghosh, who should continue to be the first-choice wicketkeeper.
Spinners will surely be in high demand when the event returns to the subcontinent, and India has a number of options in Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, and Radha Yadav, all of whom have helped the team succeed recently.
In the Twenty20 Internationals against England, young left-arm spinner N Shree Charani also left a lasting impression, giving India’s spin assault an additional edge and possibly generating more conversation points for the selectors.
With Harmanpreet praising her remarkable skills and attitude, Kranti Goud’s six-wicket haul in India’s victory over England in the third ODI may also compel the selectors to give the young right-arm seamer a go.
The availability and fitness of all-rounder Amanjot Kaur would be another issue in the context of providing more balance to the combination, even if India’s bowling arsenal is anticipated to be spin-heavy.
