Yastika Bhatia, the wicketkeeper-batter, has been officially ruled out of the upcoming One Day International series in Australia due to a wrist injury. This injury was sustained during her participation in the ongoing Women's Big Bash League. In response to this development, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided to bring in Uma Chetry as her replacement. Chetry has yet to make her One Day International debut but has shown promise in her limited experiences.
Uma Chetry’s recent performance in the shorter format highlights her potential among the emerging talents in Indian cricket. Throughout this year, she has played four T20 International matches, making her debut against South Africa in July. Her performance in domestic cricket has been noteworthy, particularly in the T20 Challenger Trophy, where she emerged as the second-highest run-scorer, accumulating 231 runs at an impressive strike rate of 154.00. In this tournament, she made headlines by scoring the only century, amassing 122 runs from 71 deliveries, demonstrating her capability to accelerate the scoring rate under pressure.
In addition to her domestic success, Chetry brings with her a measure of experience from a tour with the India A side in Australia last August. While her returns during that tour were not remarkable—she could only muster 7 and 11 runs in the T20 formats, 16 runs in a one-day match, and 2 and 47 runs in a four-day game—her exposure to Australian conditions will be beneficial as she enters this series.
On the other hand, Yastika Bhatia's contribution to her franchise in the WBBL was significant despite her unfortunate injury. Playing for the Melbourne Stars, Bhatia managed to accumulate 154 runs in six matches at a strike rate of 104.76, which placed her as the second-highest run-scorer for the team. However, the Melbourne Stars struggled collectively, finishing at the bottom of the standings with only two victories from ten matches. It is noteworthy that Bhatia missed the last three matches of the tournament due to her injury.
Before embarking on her WBBL campaign, Bhatia participated in a three-match ODI series against New Zealand, where she scored a total of 84 runs across three innings. While she was selected in the squad for the recent T20 World Cup, she did not feature in any matches, indicating that her opportunities on the international stage have been somewhat limited.
Looking ahead, the Indian Women’s team gears up for a challenging ODI series against Australia, with the first two matches scheduled at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane on December 5 and December 8. The series will conclude with a third match at the WACA ground in Perth on December 11.
The selected squad for the India Women’s tour of Australia demonstrates a mix of established players and emerging talents. The lineup includes Harmanpreet Kaur as captain and Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain, alongside players such as Priya Punia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, and Richa Ghosh, who will take on the wicketkeeping duties. Other notable names in the squad include the experienced all-rounders Deepti Sharma and Arundhati Reddy, as well as bowling talents like Renuka Singh and Saima Thakor. The inclusion of Uma Chetry presents an exciting opportunity for her to showcase her skills on a larger platform, and given her recent form, there may be high expectations for her contributions in the series.
The series against Australia marks a significant occasion for the Indian Women's team within the framework of the ICC Women's Championship. Competing against one of the top teams internationally is a crucial aspect of the team’s journey towards building a strong and competitive squad for future tournaments.
As the Australian Women’s team prepares to defend their home turf, the Indian team will be looking to build on their recent performances and make a strong statement on this international stage. The upcoming matches will not only test their skills but also provide a valuable opportunity for younger players like Chetry to make their mark in the international arena. The excitement surrounding this series is palpable as fans anticipate another thrilling chapter in women’s cricket.