Amanjot Kaur, G Kamalini and Vaishnavi Sharma miss out as selectors opt for fresh faces

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

India have announced their squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, with seam-bowling allrounder Kashvee Gautam and offspin allrounder Anushka Sharma earning key inclusions. The series, set to begin in April, marks an opportunity for both players to make a strong impact on the international stage.

Kashvee Gautam is in line for her maiden T20I appearance after previously featuring in one Test and six ODIs. The youngster was part of India’s recent tour of Australia, where she gained valuable experience in the longer formats, and her selection signals the team management’s intent to groom multi-format players.

Anushka Sharma, meanwhile, has received her first senior India call-up following an impressive run in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025. Representing Gujarat Giants, the 22-year-old scored 177 runs, with a significant portion coming through boundaries, showcasing her aggressive batting style. Her performances also earned her a spot in the India A squad for the Rising Stars Asia Cup, further strengthening her case for national selection.

The selectors have also included wicketkeeper Uma Chetry as a backup option to first-choice keeper Richa Ghosh. Chetry replaces G Kamalini, who has not featured in a match since her debut series against Sri Lanka and was recently benched during the Australia tour.

Among the notable omissions are left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma and allrounder Amanjot Kaur. Vaishnavi, who played in the Sri Lanka series, failed to find a place after sitting out the Australia tour, while Amanjot struggled with both bat and ball in her recent outings, leading to her exclusion.

India’s bowling unit features a balanced mix of pace and spin. Kashvee Gautam joins Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh and Kranti Gaud as the seam options, while Deepti Sharma, Sree Charani and Shreyanka Patil form the spin attack.

The T20I series will begin in Durban, which will host the first two matches on April 17 and 19. The action will then move to Johannesburg for the third and fourth games on April 22 and 25, before the final match takes place in Benoni on April 27.

India T20I Squad vs South Africa:
Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Sree Charani, Shreyanka Patil, Kashvee Gautam, Bharti Fulmali, Uma Chetry (wicketkeeper), Anushka Sharma.