Verma axed as India name squad for Australia ODIs

Shafali Verma has been axed from India’s ODI squad for their upcoming three-game tour of Australia.

The powerful opener was the biggest name missing from the 16-player squad named by the Board of Control for Cricket in India for next month’s matches at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane and the WACA Ground in Perth.

Verma had a lean run at the T20 World Cup in Dubai in October, scoring 97 runs in four innings with a high score of 43.

India ODI squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), 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, Saima Thakor

Those fortunes did not improve in the one-dayers against New Zealand that immediately followed, with Verma hitting 33, 11 and 12 across the three games at Ahmedabad.

Dayalan Hemalatha, who has spent the last few weeks playing for Perth Scorchers in the Weber WBBL, was another omission from the squad that defeated New Zealand 2-1 in a one-day series at the end of October.

Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh has returned to the squad after missing the games against the White Ferns due to exams, while Pooja Vastrakar remains absent after being rested against New Zealand.

Harleen Deol is another inclusion, alongside Titas Sadhu, who claimed 4-17 in a T20I against Australia in January, and off-spinner Minnu Mani, who took 11 wickets in the one-off red-ball game on India A’s tour of Australia in August.

Up-and-coming leg-spinner Priya Mishra will also hope to continue the excellent form she enjoyed on that India A tour, including her haul of 5-14 in the third 50-over game.

Four members of the India squad are currently in Australia playing in the WBBL: Smriti Mandhana (Strikers), Jemimah Rodrigues (Heat), Deepti Sharma and Yastika Bhatia (both Stars).

Shikha Pandey, who has been starring for Brisbane Heat but has been out of favour with India selectors since February 2023, was not named.

Commbank Women's ODI series v India 

Australia squad: TBC 

India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), 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, Saima Thakor

First ODI: December 5: Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 3.20pm AEDT

Second ODI: December 8: Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 10.45am AEDT

Third ODI: December 11: WACA Ground, Perth, 3.20pm AEDT