The opener has been dropped for two consecutive series in India.
Shafali Verma was a revelation when she made her international debut in 2019 at the age of 16. She possessed explosiveness required for the shortest format, just when the Indian women’s team were looking for a batter of that quality.
Her place looked cemented in the Indian team after finishing as India’s topscorer in the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia with 163 runs from five matches at a strike rate of 158. She was fearless against world-class bowling, had a powerful bottom hand and the urge to take the aerial route.
Shafali’s street-smart style served as the perfect foil for the measured and orthodox style of Smriti Mandhana as they paved the way for India’s appearance in the final of that tournament.
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Shafali is a few days away from her 21st birthday, but has already played 85 T20Is, 20 ODIs and five Tests. But nothing’s guaranteed in cricket.
Indian women went from the only side capable of beating dominant Australia to being kicked out of the group stage in 2024 T20 World Cup. Shafali fared poorly, making 93 runs from five matches which was not the sole reason for the team’s dismal outing. A shake-up was imminent and Shafali was among the ones facing the axe.
Verma was dropped for the December tour of Australia as India decided to experiment with Priya Puniya and Richa Ghosh alongside Mandhana. It yielded mixed results as both batters were unable to complement Mandhana at the top.
Yet again there was a change for the T20I and ODI series against West Indies at home, but Shafali remained sidelined, asked to go through the domestic grind.
India needs Pratika Rawal
Pratika Rawal, who boasted impressive batting numbers in domestic cricket, got her ODI debut. The 24-year-old straight away put in a tough shift, scoring 40 in the first ODI against the Windies followed by a match-winning 76 in the second ODI.
In the ongoing ODI series against Ireland, Rawal was once again instrumental in winning the first ODI at Rajkot with 89 followed by 67 in a roaring win in the second ODI.
The most notable part of Rawal’s game has been her ability to forge big partnerships. In her first two matches against the West Indies, India didn’t lose a wicket until 110 runs were on the board. In the first ODI against Ireland, India lost three quick wickets chasing 239 when Rawal steadied the innings with a 116-run stand with newcomer Trejal Hasabnis to guide India to the win.
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In the dominant second ODI win recently, she put up a third 100-plus partnership with captain Mandhana, who wasn’t at her fluent best. It is becoming clear that the Delhi batter suits the format which has more to do with building innings over going ballistic.
While Rawal is making herself known in the international arena, Shafali has been mowing down bowling attacks in the domestic. Across two domestic competitions, Shafali now has 815 runs from 11 innings which include three 90-plus scores, three hundreds. She is currently leading the charts in the Senior One-Day Challenger Trophy with 388 runs from four matches at an average of 97 and a strike rate of 146.
Shafali unleashing fire
Shafali’s fury of being dropped from the national side is palpable as she has so far smacked 42 boundaries and 22 sixes in these four innings.
The 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup is scheduled to be played in India, the hosts now have the conundrum to call back Shafali or give Rawal few more chances.
Shafali’s exploits at the top of the order in home conditions cannot be overlooked for the showpiece event. However, the inclusion of Rawal in key middle-order positions can prove to be a masterstroke due to her ability to build partnerships.
The England series in July this year can be the perfect time for the management to figure out the combination which has the balance of stability and firepower.
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