Sports: Star batter Harmanpreet Kaur is set to reclaim her captaincy of the Indian women’s cricket team as they prepare for an upcoming One Day International (ODI) tri-series in Sri Lanka. Her return to the helm comes after she was rested for the recent home series against Ireland earlier this year in January.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) women’s selection committee has announced a 15-member squad for the tournament, scheduled to take place from April 27th to May 11th. Smriti Mandhana will once again serve as Harmanpreet Kaur’s deputy. The tri-series will feature hosts Sri Lanka and South Africa alongside India.
India’s campaign will commence with a match against Sri Lanka on April 27th. The three participating nations will engage in a double round-robin league format, with each team playing a total of four matches. The top two teams at the conclusion of the league stage will then proceed to compete in the final showdown on May 11th. All matches of the tri-series are scheduled to be held at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
The selection committee has had to contend with injuries to key pacers Renuka Singh Thakur and Titas Sadhu, who were consequently not considered for selection, as stated in a BCCI release. Notably, the squad includes three fresh faces in the form of uncapped players Kashvee Gautam, Sree Charani, and Shuchi Upadhyay, signaling a potential infusion of new talent into the national side.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s absence from the Ireland ODI series, which India swept 3-0, saw Smriti Mandhana take on the captaincy duties with Deepti Sharma as her vice-captain. Prior to that, Harmanpreet had been grappling with injuries, including a knee issue sustained during the home series against the West Indies in December 2024, which sidelined her for two T20 internationals before she returned for the subsequent ODI matches. She had also suffered a neck injury during a Women’s T20 World Cup match against Pakistan in October 2024. However, her recent success in leading the Mumbai Indians to victory in the Women’s Premier League last month underscores her leadership capabilities.
Pacer Renuka Singh Thakur, who was also rested for the Ireland series, had previously been recognized as the player of the series in the ODIs against the West Indies in December 2024, having taken an impressive 10 wickets in three matches. She has had a history of dealing with a stress fracture of the back.
The Indian squad for the Sri Lanka tri-series comprises: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Kashvee Gautam, Sneh Rana, Arundhati Reddy, Tejal Hasabnis, Sree Charani, Shuchi Upadhyay.
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