Punia has played three ODIs since 2023 and returned against South Africa in June this year thanks to impressive domestic performances. She only featured in the final ODI against South Africa, and then was part of the India A tour of Australia in August, when she was not very successful. However, Punia was dropped for the New Zealand series in Ahmedabad in October, where Yastika batted at number three. Even D Hemalatha, who was not picked for the Australian series, played three ODIs this year at Nos. 3 and 4 but could not retain his place.
Besides Hemalatha, offspinner Shreyanka Patil, uncapped seamer Sayali Satghare and reserve wicketkeeper Uma Chetry are also missing from the team.
Deol is another household name that made a comeback after almost a year. The middle-order batsman has played just ten ODIs since making her debut in 2019 and scored two fifties but has never managed a sustained run in the format. His last ODI was also against Australia at home last year.
Meanwhile, Sadhu, who like Mani has featured in nine T20Is but is yet to play an ODI, will be the reserve fast bowler, with Renuka Singh and Arundhati Reddy leading the attack that also features seamer Saima Thakor, who made her debut against New Zealand.
Legspinner Asha Sobhana, who missed the New Zealand series due to injury, remains unavailable while all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar, who was rested against New Zealand, is also absent. Meanwhile, middle-order batsman Tejal Hasabnis and legspinner Priya Mishra, who also made their debut against New Zealand and put in notable performances, retained their places to face Australia.
Players like Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Yastika and Deepti Sharma are already in Australia, playing in the WBBL.
Harmanpreet Kaur and company will go into the ODIs against Australia after a 2-1 win over New Zealand, while Australia last played ODIs in March and beat Bangladesh 3-0 in Mirpur. The ODIs against India will be part of the Championship, where Australia and England are joint champions. India, as hosts, automatically qualifies for the 2025 World Cup.
India squad for ODIs against Australia
Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Priya Punia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Radha Yadav, Titas Sadhu, Arundhati Reddy , Renuka Singh Thakur and Saima Thakor
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