Pratika and Vaishnavi named in India’s Test side for Australia as the side has seven players in line to make their debuts.
Seven players are scheduled to make their Test debut in just over a month, including Pratika Rawal, who hasn’t played any cricket since a breakout performance during India’s title-winning campaign at the ODI World Cup. A number of young players, notably 20-year-old left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma, are part of India’s side for their March 6 match against Australia at the WACA.
With 308 runs in six innings, Rawal was the fourth-highest run scorer at the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup. She scored two fifty-plus runs, including one against Australia, and had a great opening combination with Smriti Mandhana before suffering an ankle injury that prevented her from participating in the knockout stages.
The Indian team management has taken notice of Vaishnavi, who only made her debut in international cricket in December of last year, because of her eagerness to fly the ball despite the risk of being struck in white-ball cricket. Australian conditions have been hostile to spin bowling in men’s Test matches for the past year or so.
There are many seam-bowling alternatives available to India, but only Renuka Singh has a Test cap. Amanjot Kaur, Sayali Satghare, and Kranti Gaud, who has now secured a spot in India’s squads across formats, will support her.
The 15-person contingent is led by Harmanpreet Kaur, with Mandhana serving as her deputy. Having participated in the Women’s Big Bash League for a few of years, they both have a great deal of experience playing in Australia. Jemimah Rodrigues may also rely on it, as well as her outstanding century that eliminated Australia from the ODI World Cup.
The majority of India’s batting lineup is unchanged from their most recent Test match, which took place in June 2024 against South Africa. Since G Kamalini is no longer available, Uma Chetry will be Richa Ghosh’s backup wicketkeeper in all formats throughout the tour.
Between February 15 and March 1, India will play Australia in three Twenty20 Internationals and three One-Day Internationals. The one-time Test match is set for March 6–9 in Perth.
Aside from that, left-arm spinner Radha Yadav will captain the India A team for the Rising Star Women’s Asia Cup, which will take place in Thailand starting on February 13 in a T20 format. On February 13, 15, and 17, respectively, India A will play the UAE, Pakistan, and Nepal. The final will take place on February 22 after the semi-finals on February 20.