1 week ago
Anjum Chopra Questions Pratika Rawal’s Asia Cup Selection
Pratika Rawal was chosen for India’s T20 cricket team for the Asia Cup.
She replaced Jemimah Rodrigues, who is injured.
This will be Rawal’s first call-up to India’s T20I squad.
However, she has not played a T20 match since November 2024.
Former captain Anjum Chopra said Rawal is a good cricketer but questioned the timing of her selection.
Chopra also said Rawal is returning from injury and may not be ready to play immediately.
She suggested other players could fill the No.
3 batting position.
Chopra believes India needs a clearer plan for developing its T20 players.
Pratika Rawal replaced injured Jemimah Rodrigues in India’s T20I squad for the Asia Cup.
Rawal has not played a T20 match since the Challenger Trophy in November 2024.
Anjum Chopra questioned selecting an injury-returning player with limited recent competitive cricket.
Chopra suggested Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh or emerging players for India’s No. 3 position.
She also criticized India’s unclear T20I player-development pathway and the timing of squad announcements.
- Who
- Former India captain Anjum Chopra questioned the selection of Pratika Rawal, who was called into India’s squad as Jemimah Rodrigues’ replacement.
- What
- Chopra criticized Rawal’s inclusion in the T20I squad, citing her lack of recent T20 cricket and return from injury.
- Where
- The Asia Cup is scheduled to take place in Dubai.
- When
- The comments were made ahead of the Asia Cup, which begins on August 28; Rawal last played a T20 match in November 2024.
- Why
- Chopra said Rawal has limited recent competitive experience and questioned how she would fit into India’s batting order.
Chopra’s Concerns
Selection Committee’s Decision
Recent match practice
Chopra’s Concerns
Anjum Chopra said Rawal’s lack of T20 cricket since November 2024 and limited recent competitive cricket made her selection difficult to understand.
Selection Committee’s Decision
The selection committee included Rawal as Jemimah Rodrigues’ replacement, but the articles do not state an official explanation for choosing her.
Readiness after injury
Chopra’s Concerns
Chopra questioned whether an injury-returning player should be placed directly into the playing XI.
Selection Committee’s Decision
Rawal was selected for the squad despite her recent injury history; the articles do not say whether selectors intend to play her immediately.
No. 3 batting role
Chopra’s Concerns
Chopra suggested Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh or players from India A and emerging squads as alternatives for No. 3.
Selection Committee’s Decision
Rawal’s exact batting position was not confirmed in the articles, although her selection followed Rodrigues’ absence.
Long-term planning
Chopra’s Concerns
Chopra argued that repeated player rotation has not produced a clear T20I pipeline and that squad announcements may unsettle players.
Selection Committee’s Decision
The squads were announced for the Asia Cup and Asian Games, but the articles provide no public response from selectors about the broader strategy.
Key facts
- Tournament
- Upcoming Asia Cup
- Location
- Dubai
- Start date
- August 28
- Selection change
- Pratika Rawal replaced Jemimah Rodrigues
- Rawal’s last T20 appearance
- Challenger Trophy, November 2024
- Rodrigues’ injury
- High-grade right hamstring tear
- Other issue raised
- India’s unclear T20I selection and player-development pathway
Quotes
Anjum Chopra
Former India captain and cricket analyst
“It's difficult to believe there was nobody else around that the Indian team could have picked. When I say that, I am not saying Pratika can't play T20, but why would you pick someone who has not played T20 in a long time? As far as I remember, even in domestic cricket, hardly any T20s have happened in which she played. She was not a part of the WPL. She is a quality cricketer, but the biggest challenge for me is that she is actually coming back from an injury.”
thehansindia.com
thestatesman.com
“It's baffling to think that after rotating so many players over the last 24 months, none of those players can find a place in the main Indian team today, even on the bench. You start questioning the process. With the team having won a 50-over World Cup, it's very surprising that there is no clarity on the pipeline or the long-term thinking.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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