India Women's team for Asian Games announced; Richa Ghosh returns to the T20 side

On Friday (July 14), BCCI announced the Indian Women's squad for the 19th edition of the Asian Games that will be played later this year.

The postponed tournament will be played from September 19-28, 2023, in a T20 format. The tournament will be played in Hangzhou, China.

Harmanpreet Kaur continues to lead the side with Smriti Mandhana as her deputy, but the big news is the inclusion of Richa Ghosh. The wicketkeeper-batter from Siliguri was left out of India's squad for their ongoing white-ball tour of Bangladesh.

Minnu Mani and Anusha Bareddy made their international debuts in that series and keep their place in the squad for the Asian Games. Meanwhile, Kanika Ahuja and Titas Sadhu have got their maiden call-ups to the national side.

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Richa Ghosh is back into the Indian side; Pooja Vastrakar drops to a standby player

The questions around the musical chairs in the selection of the Indian Women's side continue to be a concern. In the T20 series of the ongoing tour of Bangladesh, Harleen Deol kept her place in the side with Yastika Bhatia as the wicketkeeper.

Yastika misses out on a place in the squad for the Asian Games, while Harleen has been dropped down to a standby player. As has all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar. Rajeshwari Gayakwad also missed out on the Bangladesh series but returns to the side for this tournament in September, while Renuka Singh Thakur remains absent.

India Women's squad for the Asian Games: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Devika Vaidya, Anjali Sarvani, Titas Sadhu, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Minnu Mani, Kanika Ahuja, Uma Chetry (wk), Anusha Bareddy

Standby list of players: Harleen Deol, Kashvee Gautam, Sneh Rana, Saika Ishaque, Pooja Vastrakar.

The Women in Blue are currently on tour for a white-ball series in Bangladesh. They won the T20I series 2-1 and will play a three-match ODI series starting on Sunday (July 16).