The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled the 16-member India Women’s squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, part of the ongoing ICC Women’s Championship. The series is crucial as both teams have already secured their spots in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. Scheduled to begin on December 5, the first two matches will be held at Brisbane's Allan Border Field, while the final ODI will take place at the WACA Ground in Perth on December 11. Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the team, with Smriti Mandhana serving as vice-captain.

A major highlight of the announcement was the omission of Shafali Verma, India’s young batting prodigy, whose recent dip in form may have influenced the decision. Shafali scored only 97 runs in four matches during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 and 56 runs across three innings in the New Zealand series. While the BCCI has not provided an official reason, speculation suggests it might be a mix of form concerns or a strategic break. In her absence, Harleen Deol returns to the squad after recovering from a knee injury that kept her out of action for most of 2024.

The squad sees Richa Ghosh making a comeback after missing the New Zealand series due to her board exams, providing depth to the middle order and offering an alternative to Yastika Bhatia behind the stumps. With a balanced team in place, India will aim to challenge Australia on their home turf and build momentum ahead of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.