Mithali Raj believes India’s team management faces a key selection dilemma ahead of the IND W vs AUS W Women’s World Cup 2025 semi-final, especially after opener Pratika Rawal’s injury.
India’s preparation for the high-voltage semifinal against Australia at DY Patil Stadium has been disrupted by Rawal’s unavailability. The right-hander, India’s second-highest run-getter in the tournament, was ruled out after sustaining a knee and ankle injury against Bangladesh. Her replacement, Shafali Verma, is back in the squad, but whether she walks straight into the India Playing XI remains uncertain.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Mithali Raj explained that India’s biggest challenge will be to strike the right balance between batting depth and bowling options. “If you bring Amanjot Kaur in, it has to be for a specialist batter,” she said. “But when it’s Australia, you might want that extra batting cushion. The team needs to feel confident with the XI they put out.”
Mithali further noted that the psychological aspect could influence India’s playing XI decisions. “Sometimes, it’s about what the team feels most confident with. Do they feel secure going with an extra batter even if it means losing a sixth bowling option? Against Australia, that can make a difference,” she added.
She also recalled India’s approach earlier in the year: “Whenever they’ve posted 300, they’ve gone with an extra batter because they feel there’s still batting to come. Against England, we saw that even though they lost, that was the combination they were comfortable with.”
ALSO READ:
With Rawal ruled out, India may turn to Shafali Verma as a direct replacement. Shafali recently scored 70 off 49 in a warm-up game for India A, making a strong case for inclusion. However, the team could also promote Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, or even Amanjot Kaur, who opened against Bangladesh and added a solid 50-run stand with Smriti Mandhana.
Radha Yadav, who picked three wickets in the same game, could also compete for a spot if India opts for a sixth bowling option.
India’s likely playing XI vs Australia: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma/Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav/Amanjot Kaur, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur, Kranti Gaud.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
