The Board of Control for Cricket in India, late on Friday night, announced the Indian women’s squad for their upcoming Twenty20 International series against England. The board’s announcement comes with less than a week left for the first game, which starts on December 6 in Mumbai.
From the 16 players named for the T20I squad, Saika Ishaque has received a first-ever call up to the national team.
The left-arm spinner from Bengal had a good showing in the inaugural Women’s Premier League season earlier this year, picking up 15 wickets in 10 matches to finish as the joint-third highest wicket-taker.
The team will be skippered by Harmanpreet Kaur with Smriti Mandhana as the deputy, while the likes of Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma and many other players who won the Asian Games gold medal in Hangzhou are a part of the squad.
The Indian team begins its home season with England and Australia touring for a multi-format series each that goes across December and January.
These series will also be the first time Amol Mazumdar will feature as head coach of the Indian team, after his appointment in October.
India will play a three-match T20I series against England, followed by a Test starting on December 14.
The team will continue playing red-ball cricket for a one-off Test against Australia, on December 21, after which they will play a three-match One-Day International series, followed by a three-match T20I contest.
In the Test squads, Shubha Satheesh, who had a good outing in the national one-day matches, has been given a first call-up.
The team for the ODI and T20I series against Australia, the BCCI said, will be announced at a later date.
India’s squad for 3 T20Is against England: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Shreyanka Patil, Mannat Kashyap, Saika Ishaque, Renuka Singh Thakur, Titas Sadhu, Pooja Vastrakar, Kanika Ahuja, Minnu Mani
India’s squad for Tests against England & Australia: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Sneh Rana, Shubha Satheesh, Harleen Deol, Saika Ishaque, Renuka Singh Thakur, Titas Sadhu, Meghna Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar
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