Team India will be without their regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur and key pacer Renuka Singh for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Ireland. In Harmanpreet’s absence, Smriti Mandhana will take charge as captain and look to get India off to a strong start in Rajkot on January 10. Meanwhile, Deepti Sharma has been named vice-captain for the series.
New Faces in the Squad
India’s selectors have injected fresh energy into the squad by calling up Raghvi Bist and Sayali Satghare. Bist, who made her T20I debut against the West Indies last month, has already displayed promise in her initial performances. Satghare, meanwhile, was part of the ODI squad during the New Zealand series in October 2024, but she’s yet to make her debut and will be keen to seize this opportunity.
Pratika Rawal and Tanuja Kanwar, who earned their first caps during the West Indies ODIs, have retained their places in the team.
Shafali Verma’s absence from the squad continues to spark plenty of debate. Despite being the top run-scorer in the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy — racking up 527 runs at an impressive average of 75.29 — she remains on the sidelines. Her form was further highlighted with a blazing 91 off 71 balls in the One Day Challenger Trophy, but the selectors have decided to go in a different direction for now.
Historic Tour for Ireland
This series marks a historic moment for Ireland, as it’s their first-ever bilateral tour of India. The two teams last clashed during the 2023 T20 World Cup, where India narrowly secured a five-run victory. However, Ireland will be aiming to create history on this maiden trip.
India boasts a spotless ODI record against Ireland, having won all 12 matches between the sides to date. The visitors will be eager to change that narrative, but they’ll have their work cut out for them, as India remains a formidable force at home, even without some of their top stars.
India women’s squad for ODIs against Ireland: Smriti Mandhana (capt), Deepti Sharma (vice-capt), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Uma Chetry (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Tanuja Kanwer, Titas Sadhu, Saima Thakor, Sayali Satghare
Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and Instagram
