The limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka has been earmarked as one where India’s women cricket team will look to fine-tune their plans and playing combination ahead of next month’s Commonwealth Games T20 in England and the T20 World Cup early next year in South Africa.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said this is specially relevant on the bowling front, where the team will be without the legendary figure of Jhulan Goswami and also the experienced Shikha Pandey. The selectors have also decided to rest the incumbent Sneh Rana as they give the team management an opportunity to trial others.
“I think if we talk about our bowling unit, this is the time they can take responsibility and this tour will be the ideal platform for them to perform,”
Harmanpreet was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo for an Indian attack featuring spinners like Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gaikwad, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav (T20Is only) and pacers such as Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh and Renuka Singh.
“We will take the charge and bowl [their] full quota [of overs]. For me, it’s a great opportunity where you can build a good team. Sri Lanka is not going to be an easy tour for us. So, it’s important [to ensure that] whatever we are planning we go and deliver,”
she added.
Head coach Ramesh Powar declared this as a period of transition in Indian bowling, with the sun setting on Goswami’s career and Pandey getting dropped in the aftermath of the 50-over World Cup in New Zealand.
“When you move forward in a transition period, you need to give opportunities to young players to cement their places,”
he said.
India will play three T20Is and three ICC women’s ODI championship games against the Sri Lankans. The T20Is will be held in Dambulla on June 23, 25 and 27, followed by the three ODIs in Pallekele on July 1, 4 and 7, respectively.
