India have named a 15-member squad for the one-off women’s Test against Australia in Perth starting March 6, handing maiden Test call-ups to as many as five players. Pratika Rawal, Amanjot Kaur, Kranti Gaud, Vaishnavi Sharma and Sayali Satghare have all been included in the Test squad for the first time.
Rawal returns to the national setup after last featuring in India’s victorious 2025 World Cup campaign, where her tournament was cut short due to a hairline fracture in her right ankle. She is currently part of the UP Warriorz squad in the ongoing Women’s Premier League (WPL) but is yet to take the field, with the franchise awaiting medical clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence.
Shafali Verma, who replaced Rawal in the World Cup semifinal and final, has retained her place in the Test side. Shafali opened alongside vice-captain Smriti Mandhana in India’s last five Tests and scored a career-best 205 against South Africa in her most recent red-ball appearance.
Harleen Deol has also returned to the Test squad after being named for the series against England and Australia in 2023, although she is still awaiting her Test debut. Another newcomer, Amanjot Kaur, bolsters the middle-order options alongside captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues.
Richa Ghosh and Uma Chetry have been named as the wicketkeepers. While Ghosh has featured in two Tests, most recently against South Africa, Chetry is yet to make her Test debut. Chetry has also been included in India’s ODI and T20I squads as a replacement for G Kamalini, who was ruled out of the WPL with a shoulder injury.
India’s spin department features all-rounders Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana, along with debutant Vaishnavi Sharma. The pace attack includes Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud and seam-bowling all-rounder Amanjot Kaur.
Several players who were part of India’s Test squad against South Africa have missed out this time, including Saika Ishaque, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Meghna Singh and Priya Punia.
The one-off Test in Perth will mark India’s first red-ball assignment since the South Africa series and provides a platform for a new crop of players to stake their claim in the longest format.
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
Radha to captain India A in Asia Cup
Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Radha Yadav has been appointed captain of the India A squad for the ACC Rising Star Asia Cup, which will be played in the T20 format from February 13 to 22 in Thailand. The Indian team includes the likes of Vrinda Dinesh, Anushka Sharma and Nandni Sharma among others.
Deeya Yadav and Mamta M are also part of the squad but their participation is subject to fitness clearance from BCCI’s COE.
In the tournament, India A are grouped alongside UAE, Pakistan and A and Nepal in Group A. India A’s first match is against UAE on February 13 followed by matches against Pakistan on February 15 and Nepal on February 17.
Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Malaysia and hosts Thailand are in Group B. The semifinals will be played on February 20, with the final two days later.