BCCI keeps faith in women's cricket team for Asian Games despite World Cup fiasco

New Delhi: The BCCI has announced India's 15-member women's squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Harmanpreet Kaur continues as captain with Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain, and the core group remains largely the same from the recent T20 World Cup.

What changed in the team?

Despite the disappointing exit from the World Cup, no major replacements have been made in the Indian squad. There is only one change: Yastika Bhatia has been dropped, with G Kamalini coming in as her replacement behind the stumps.

The other selection story worth mentioning involves all-rounder Shreyanka Patil, who was forced out in the middle World Cup due to an ankle ligament injury, with Prema Rawat replacing her at the time. For the Asian Games, Patil is back on the team.

Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh and Renuka Singh Thakur all retain their places, alongside Bharti Fulmali, Sree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav and Nandni Sharma, plus G Kamaliniand Shreyanka Patil.

Why so few changes?

At first glance, just minor changes after a poor tournament might seem surprising. But a closer look at the situation, the wicketkeeper swap (Kamalini coming in for Yastika Bhatia) suggests that the selectors did think about certain positions after the tournament.

It appears that the selectors do not think India's core group is the problem. They are treating the World Cup loss as a bad day, and not as a sign that the team needs to be rebuilt.

Thus the same batting order, Harmanpreet, Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh, and the same bowling attack is to be followed.

The Asian Games, held every four years, will be played in Japan this year from September 19 through to October 4, with the cricket competition running from September 17 to 22, in an eight-team knockout format starting from the quarter-finals.

For India, this is a chance to prove that the World Cup failure, where India failed to qualify for the semifinals, was just an oddity and not a trend.

India's Asian Games squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Gunalan Kamalini (wicketkeeper), Bharti Fulmali, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil (subject to fitness), Radha Yadav, Nandni Sharma. 

Tags : BCCI, Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Asian Games, Japan