Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur will not play the first ODI against New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Here's why.
India are set to take part in a three-match ODI series against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, with the first game on Thursday (October 24). However, they will be without captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Smriti Mandhana came out for the coin toss, which she won and chose to bat first.
IND-W v NZ-W, 1st ODI: Harmanpreet Kaur ruled out
Soon after the toss, the BCCI announced that Kaur would miss out due to a niggle (unspecified).
This series comes hot on the back of the T20 World Cup. These two sides met in their opening match of the tournament, and New Zealand came out on top in that fixture, winning by 58 runs to boost their net run rate and send India's tumbling. India went on to be eliminated at the group stage, while the White Ferns went on to win the tournament, securing their first-ever world title in the format.
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Kaur's appointment as captain for this series itself came as a slight surprise. There had been suggestions following India's exit from the World Cup that she could be replaced as skipper, but she retained her position. Mandhana captains Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women's Premier League (WPL), and has led India in 14 T20Is before. This is her first ODI in charge.
IND-W v NZ-W, 1st ODI: India name two debutants
India also named two debutants in their playing XI – Tejal Hasabnis and Saima Thakor. Hasabnis was part of the India A team that toured Australia earlier this year. Thakor has played six WPL matches for UP Warriorz, as well as 43 List A matches for Mumbai.
India playing XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana (c), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Dayalan Hemalatha, Jemimah Rodrigues, Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Saima Thakor, Renuka Singh.
New Zealand playing XI: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (c), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Lauren Down, Isabella Gaze (wk), Jess Kerr, Molly Penfold, Eden Carson.
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