India to explore core group for T20 WC

The Indian women's team will aim to finalise a core group of players ahead of the T20 World Cup early next year when it takes on England in a three-match series starting here from Monday.

India have been doing well in the 50-over format but they have plenty to ponder about in the shortest format, having lost their previous series in New Zealand 0-3.

The whitewash in New Zealand came after a historic win in the ODIs and India will be hoping to reverse that trend with the T20s against England. India beat them 2-1 in the preceding ODI series in Mumbai.

Harmanpreet Kaur has not yet recovered from an ankle injury and in-form opener Smriti Mandhana will captain the side in her absence.

The southpaw continues to plunder runs, having scored two successive half-centuries in ODIs against England. She was also in sublime touch in New Zealand last month.

In Harmanpreet's absence, senior player and ODI captain Mithali Raj is expected to play a bigger role. Mithali was dropped from the first two games in New Zealand before she scored an unbeaten 24 which did not prove to be enough.

The 36-year-old is likely to retire from the shortest format before the T20 World Cup in Australia next year and it remains to be seen how her experience will be used against England.

Veda back

Focus will also be on Veda Krishnamurthy, who has made a comeback after being left out due to her below-par performance in the 2018 World T20, where India lost to England in the semifinals.

Harleen Deol and Bharati Fulmali too will be eager to prove themselves after replacing Priya Puni and D Hemalatha in the squad.

Left-arm pacer Komal Zanzad, who has replaced Mansi Joshi, is in line to make her international debut. Shikha Pandey will lead the pace department in an otherwise spin-heavy bowling attack comprising five specialists.

Squads: India: Smriti Mandhana (captain), Mithali Raj, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Bharti Fulmali, Anuja Patil, Shikha Pandey, Komal Zanzad, Arundhati Reddy, Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, Radha Yadav, Veda Krishnamurty, Harleen Deol.

England: Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophia Dunkley Brown, Freya Davies, Georgia Elwiss, Amy Ellen Jones, Heather Knight(c), Laura Marsh, Natalie Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Linsey Smith, Lauren Winfield, Danielle Wyatt, Alex Hartley.