Rodrigues sidelined with hamstring tear
India batter Jemimah Rodrigues will miss the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup and Asian Games after sustaining a high-grade right hamstring tear. The injury occurred on August 3 while Rodrigues was playing for Southern Brave in The Hundred in England. Following the incident, the 25-year-old underwent an assessment by the BCCI Medical Team at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, which confirmed the severity of the injury.
The absence of Rodrigues, who has 131 caps in the shortest format of the game, is a significant blow to India‘s preparations for these key tournaments. The Women’s Asia Cup is set to begin in the UAE in just two weeks, adding pressure to the team’s lineup adjustments.
Pratika Rawal named as replacement
In response to Rodrigues’ injury, the Women’s Selection Committee has named Pratika Rawal as her replacement in India’s Asia Cup squad. Rawal, who has previously represented India in ODIs, makes her return to the national setup. Her inclusion follows a period where she featured prominently in the India A setup.
Rawal had previously missed the recent England Test due to a knee injury. That injury occurred while she was fielding for India A, requiring stitches after an incident during the match. Her return to the squad will be closely watched as India prepares for its upcoming fixtures.
Asia Cup and Asian Games schedule
The Women’s Asia Cup is scheduled to commence in the UAE on August 28. India has been placed in Group A for the tournament, alongside Pakistan, Thailand, and Hong Kong. India’s opening match of the campaign will be against Thailand on August 30.
A highly anticipated group-stage fixture for India will be against arch-rivals Pakistan, set to take place on September 5 in Dubai. The format of the tournament dictates that the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, with the final match scheduled for September 13.
Rodrigues’ hamstring injury will also prevent her from participating in the Asian Games in Nagoya. Women’s cricket at the Asian Games will be played in the T20 format, with matches scheduled from September 17 to October 3. India enters the competition as the top-seeded team in the women’s category.
India is set to begin its campaign in the quarter-finals of the Asian Games against Japan. Should they progress, a potential semi-final match could see them face either Bangladesh or Hong Kong, China. Pakistan is positioned in the opposite half of the draw, meaning a clash between India and Pakistan could only occur in either the gold-medal match or the bronze-medal play-off, both of which are scheduled for September 22.
India’s updated Asia Cup squad
The updated squad for India’s Women’s Asia Cup campaign includes a mix of experienced players and new additions. The team will be led by Harmanpreet Kaur as captain, with Smriti Mandhana serving as vice-captain. The full squad is as follows:
- Harmanpreet Kaur (C)
- Smriti Mandhana (VC)
- Shafali Verma
- Bharti Fulmali
- Deepti Sharma
- Richa Ghosh (WK)
- G. Kamalini (WK)
- Arundhati Reddy
- Prema Rawat
- Radha Yadav
- Sree Charani
- Renuka Thakur
- Nandni Sharma
- Kranti Gaud
- Pratika Rawal
This squad will represent India in the upcoming tournament, with their first match scheduled for August 30 against Thailand.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
