Harleen Deol and Yastika Bhatia recalled as India name squad for Australia T20Is

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the squad for India women's upcoming five-match T20 series against the Australian women at home. Pacer Pooja Vastrakar has been ruled out of the 15-member squad, while uncapped medium pacer Anjali Sarvani finds a place.

Sneh Rana, Dayalan Hemalatha, and Kiran Navgire, who were part of India's Asia Cup triumph, have been dropped. Meanwhile, lower-order batter Devika Vaidya is in line to play her first game for the Women in Blue in over four years.

Vaidya last represented India in April 2018, featuring in an ODI, while her only T20I appearance was way back in November 2014.

Harleen Deol and Yastika Bhatia have been recalled following their impressive performances in the Women's T20 Challenger Trophy. Deol scored a couple of fifties, while Bhatia hit 99, followed by an unbeaten 80 to take her side to the final.

The BCCI further confirmed that Monika Patel, Arundhati Reddy, SB Pokharkar, and Simran Bahadur will be joining the squad as net bowlers.

The D.Y. Patil Stadium in Mumbai will host all five matches of the series between December 9 and 20.

---

India's squad for the T20I series against Australia:

Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh Thakur, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Devika Vaidya, S Meghana, Richa Ghosh, Harleen Deol.

It will be a critical series for both teams, keeping in mind the T20 World Cup next year in South Africa. Australia are the defending champions, having captured the crown by beating India at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the 2020 edition.

The Aussies also beat the Women in Blue in the Commonwealth Games final in England, winning gold in the process. Keeper-batter Alyssa Healy will lead the tourists in the upcoming T20I series.

---