In a major boost for the Indian women’s cricket team, opener Pratikya Rawal has been recalled to the squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the inclusion on Tuesday, confirming that the 24-year-old has fully recovered from an ankle injury sustained during the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.
The multi-format tour Down Under intensifies with the ODI leg kicking off on February 24 in Brisbane, followed by matches in Hobart. Currently, India leads the ongoing T20I series 1-0, set to conclude on February 21, before a one-off Test in Perth on March 6.
Rawal’s absence began on October 26 last year after she suffered a right ankle and knee injury in a rain-affected league match against Bangladesh at the World Cup. Unable to feature in the knockouts, her return marks a timely resurgence. She had been initially selected for the Test against Australia, showcasing her rising stock.
Prior to the injury, Rawal was India’s standout performer in the ODI World Cup, amassing 308 runs including a century and a half-century, finishing as the second-highest scorer. Since her ODI debut in December 2024, she has notched up 1110 runs in 24 innings at an average of 50.45 and a strike rate of 82.83, earning her first BCCI central contract earlier this month.
The BCCI highlighted her successful rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence. ‘The Women’s Selection Committee has included Pratikya Rawal in India’s team for the three-match ODI series against Australia Women, part of the ongoing multi-format tour,’ the board stated.
Updated India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Renuka Thakur, Sri Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Uma Chetry (wk), Kashvi Gautam, Amanjot Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Pratikya Rawal.
Rawal’s explosive top-order batting could prove pivotal as India aims to build on their T20I momentum and challenge Australia’s dominance in the ODIs. Fans are eager to see her firepower back in action.