Mandhana to lead India women across formats on South Africa tour, Jemimah returns

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday announced the Indian women's cricket team squads for the upcoming all-format tour of South Africa in December, naming Smriti Mandhana as captain across Tests, One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).

The tour, scheduled from December 9 to 30, will feature one Test, three ODIs and three T20Is, with Mandhana taking charge as India's full-time Test captain for the first time.

The Women's Selection Committee also confirmed the return of middle-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues, who had been sidelined after suffering a hamstring injury during The Hundred tournament in August.

Experienced all-rounder Deepti Sharma has been appointed vice-captain for the Test and ODI squads, while explosive opener Shafali Verma will serve as Mandhana's deputy in the T20I series.

Former captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been included in all three squads, alongside several established players, including Richa Ghosh, Sree Charani and Kranti Gaud.

𝐉𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐲

Rodrigues' return is among the major developments in the squad announcement, with the batter having missed India's successful Asia Cup and Asian Games campaigns as well as the subsequent home series against Zimbabwe.

The injury had kept her out of international cricket for several months before she returned to competitive action in the Senior Women's T20 Trophy earlier this month.

Rodrigues made her comeback for Mumbai against Uttar Pradesh on November 2, scoring an unbeaten 29. She subsequently registered a half-century against Delhi before smashing 107 off 47 balls against Puducherry.

Her return strengthens India's middle order ahead of the South Africa tour, particularly in the limited-overs formats.

Seam-bowling all-rounder Amanjot Kaur has also returned to the T20I squad after recovering from a back injury that had kept her out of international action since India's previous tour of South Africa earlier this year.

Amanjot recently resumed competitive cricket for Punjab in the Senior Women's T20 Trophy, earning her place in the 17-member T20I squad.

𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞

Mandhana's appointment as full-time Test captain marks an important development in India's leadership structure, with the experienced left-handed batter now entrusted with leading the team across all three international formats.

The 15-member Test squad includes Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh and Yastika Bhatia, alongside Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma.

Wicketkeeper-batters Richa Ghosh and Yastika Bhatia provide options behind the stumps, while the bowling department features Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Nandni Sharma, Jintimani Kalita and Sayali Satghare.

Jintimani, who recently made her international debut against Zimbabwe, has been included in both the Test and ODI squads.

Nandni Sharma has also earned a place in the Test squad, providing another pace-bowling option for the one-off encounter.

The ODI squad features a similar core, with Vaishnavi Sharma replacing Sneh Rana in the spin department.

𝐓𝟐𝟎𝐈 𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬

The 17-member T20I squad includes several players who are not part of the Test and ODI teams, reflecting the selectors' approach towards the shortest format.

Niki Prasad, G Kamalini, Anushka Sharma, Prema Rawat, Amanjot Kaur, Renuka Singh Thakur and Arundhati Reddy have been included in the T20I setup.

Shafali Verma's appointment as vice-captain provides an additional leadership role for the attacking opener, who has been an important member of India's limited-overs batting lineup.

Renuka Singh Thakur has been selected exclusively for the T20I series, while Shreyanka Patil has not been included in the squad.

Richa Ghosh is expected to remain India's first-choice wicketkeeper across formats, with Yastika Bhatia providing cover in Tests and ODIs and G Kamalini included as the second wicketkeeping option in T20Is.

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟗

India's tour will begin with the one-off Test in Gqeberha from December 9 to 12.

The three-match ODI series will commence in Paarl on December 16, followed by matches in Cape Town on December 19 and Bloemfontein on December 22.

The T20I series will begin in Benoni on December 26, while Potchefstroom will host the remaining two matches on December 29 and 30.

The upcoming tour will be India's second visit to South Africa this year. During their previous visit in April, the Indian team suffered a 1-4 defeat in the five-match T20I series.

The December assignment will provide both teams with an opportunity to assess their combinations and prepare for major international competitions scheduled in 2027.

𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚'𝐬 𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐝𝐬

Test squad: Smriti Mandhana (captain), Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Yastika Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Deepti Sharma (vice-captain), Sree Charani, Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Nandni Sharma, Jintimani Kalita and Sayali Satghare.

ODI squad: Smriti Mandhana (captain), Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Yastika Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Deepti Sharma (vice-captain), Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Nandni Sharma, Jintimani Kalita and Sayali Satghare.

T20I squad: Smriti Mandhana (captain), Shafali Verma (vice-captain), Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur, Niki Prasad, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), G Kamalini (wicketkeeper), Anushka Sharma, Deepti Sharma, Sree Charani, Prema Rawat, Amanjot Kaur, Kranti Gaud, Nandni Sharma, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy and Sayali Satghare.