Anushka Sharma Takes Charge as India A T20 Captain

The Future of Indian Women’s Cricket

Anushka Sharma has officially been appointed as the captain of the India A T20 squad, while Yastika Bhatia will take the helm in the one-dayers and a one-off multi-day match against Australia A. This decision comes just ahead of a pivotal multi-format series scheduled for September and October, as announced by the BCCI on Thursday.

Anushka Sharma’s Leadership Journey

The actress-turned-cricketer, who has appeared in three T20 internationals, previously led India A during the England T20 series in June. This was a significant moment for Anushka, who made her T20I debut back in April. Under her leadership, the squad aims to showcase their talent against a competitive Australia A side.

Diverse Talent in the Roster

Joining Anushka in the T20 squad is the promising 22-year-old Sujata Dey, who made headlines by scoring a century in the Bengal T20 League earlier this year. The full T20 squad is as follows:

• Anushka Sharma (C)
• Sayali Satghare (VC)
• Vrinda Dinesh
• Sujata Dey
• Tejal Hasabnis
• Nikki Prasad
• Shipra Giri (WK)
• Shweta Sehrawat
• Uma Chetry (WK)
• Tanuja Kanwer
• Minnu Mani
• Vaishnavi Sharma
• Jintimani Kalita
• Shabnam Shakeel
• Simran Dil Bahadur

Yastika Bhatia’s Role

In the one-day scenario, Anushka will serve as the vice-captain to Yastika Bhatia, who marked a significant return to the national stage in May after recovering from injury. Yastika played a crucial role during the historic Lord’s Test last month, even scoring a century in the second innings. The one-day squad features a blend of talent ready to take on Australia.

One-Day Squad Breakdown

The one-day squad consists of:

• Yastika Bhatia (C/WK)
• Anushka Sharma (VC)
• Vrinda Dinesh
• Priya Punia
• Tanisha Singh
• Tejal Hasabnis
• Nikki Prasad
• Uma Chetry (WK)
• Minnu Mani
• Amandeep Kaur
• Vaishnavi Sharma
• Sayali Satghare
• Jintimani Kalita
• Shabnam Shakeel
• Akshita Bhagat

Preparing for the Four-Day Match

As the multi-format series unfolds, the squad for the one-off four-day match will be led by Yastika Bhatia, with Anushka Sharma again serving as her vice-captain. This roster features a mix of players poised to rise to occasion:

• Yastika Bhatia (C/WK)
• Anushka Sharma (VC)
• Shubha Satheesh
• Priya Punia
• Tanisha Singh
• Tejal Hasabnis
• Nikki Prasad
• Mamata Madiwala (WK)
• Sushree Dibyadarshini
• Shuchi Upadhyay
• Vaishnavi Sharma
• Sayali Satghare
• Jintimani Kalita
• Shabnam Shakeel
• Akshita Bhagat

Setting the Stage Against Australia A

The Australia A squad is all set to tour India for an exciting series, consisting of three T20s, as many one-dayers, and a multi-day game. The T20 matches are scheduled to be hosted in New Chandigarh, while Dharamsala will serve as the venue for the one-dayers and the four-day match.

Looking Ahead

This series represents a vital opportunity for the emerging talents of Indian women’s cricket to make their mark on the international stage. Eyes will be on Anushka and Yastika as they lead their teams with aspirations to outperform the Australians.