Pratika, Vaishnavi, Kranti in India’s Test squad to face Australia
India’s World Cup winning star Pratika Rawal along with left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma and seamer Kranti Gaud received their maiden long-format call-ups for the one-off Test against Australia to be held at Perth from March 6 to 9. The 15-member squad will be led by Harmanpreet Kaur, and the Test will follow the white ball format matches (3 T20Is, 3 ODIs), beginning from February 15.
Pratika’s inclusion was a formality after her stirring efforts in the ODIs, 1110 runs from 24 matches at an average of 50.45 with two hundreds and seven fifties. It also meant that the opening batter had sufficiently recovered from her ankle injury that forced her to sit out of last year’s women’s ODI World Cup semifinal and final. However, the 25-year-old is not a part of India’s white ball trip to Australia.
Vaishnavi, who made an impression during India’s U19 World Cup triumph in early 2025, made her senior team debut in December during the home T20I series against Sri Lanka. The 20-year-old left-arm spinner has so far played five T20Is. Pacer Kranti too has made her India debut last year and has so far played 15 ODIs and four T20Is and was particularly impressive in the 50-over format, taking 23 wickets.
Satghare, the 25-year-old Mumbai pacer, has played three ODIs against Ireland in January 2025, and her inclusion meant that seasoned Arundhati Reddy did not get a look in. Meanwhile, young wicket-keeper G Kamalini has been ruled out of India’s Australia tour with an injury and the selectors have named Uma Chetry as her replacement in India’s T20Is and ODI squads.
Anushka Sharma in the India A squad: The selectors also picked India A squad for ACC Rising Star Asia Cup, and it will be led by experienced left-arm spinner Radha Yadav. Talented batter Anushka Sharma has been named in the squad for her consistent performances. The inaugural edition of the tournament is scheduled to be played in Thailand between February 13 and 22. India will play the UAE (February 13), Pakistan A (February 15) and Nepal (February 17) in the event.
India Test squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Varma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Amanjot Kaur, Richa Ghosh (WK), Uma Chetry (WK), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Renuka Thakur, Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Vaishnavi Sharma, Sayali Satghare.
India A squad for ACC Rising Star Asia Cup: Humairaa Kaazi, Vrinda Dinesh, Anushka Sharma, Deeya Yadav (subject to fitness), Tejal Hasabnis, Nandani Kashyap (WK), Mamta M (WK), (subject to fitness), Radha Yadav (C), Sonia Mendhiya, Minnu Mani, Tanuja Kanwer, Prema Rawat, Saima Thakor, Jintamani Kalita, Nandani Sharma.
