The Indian women cricket team is currently hosting Zimbabwe for a bilateral series on home soil. Under the captaincy of Smriti Mandhana, the Indian side managed to secure a clean sweep in the three-match T20I series. Attention now shifts to the upcoming three-match ODI series against the Zimbabwe women team, which is scheduled to get underway on October 23 at a stadium in Vadodara. Just a day prior to the start of this series, a late change has been announced in the India squad. Fast bowler Renuka Singh has been replaced by 22-year-old Assam fast bowler Jintimani Kalita, marking the first time the youngster has earned a spot in the India ODI squad.
Renuka Singh currently at the BCCI Centre of Excellence
Explaining the squad alteration for the three-match ODI series against the Zimbabwe women team, the Board of Control for Cricket in India stated that fast bowler Renuka Singh Thakur is currently stationed at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. There, she is undergoing a process to work on her bowling practice suited for the ODI format while managing her workload. Because of this ongoing regimen, she is unavailable for selection in the upcoming ODI series. Meanwhile, Jintimani Kalita, who was earlier named in the India squad for the T20I series, will continue to remain part of the setup for the ODI matches as well.
India squad for the ODI series against Zimbabwe women
The selected Indian women squad for the upcoming ODI series features a mix of seasoned campaigners and emerging talents. The players named in the squad include Pratika Rawal, captain Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, Sayali Satghare, Kranti Gaud, Sree Charani, Yastika Bhatia, Vaishnavi Sharma, Nandini Sharma, Tejal Hasabnis, and Jintimani Kalita.
Jintimani Kalita and her career stats so far
Reflecting on the career of 22-year-old Assam fast bowler Jintimani Kalita, who has received her maiden call-up to the India women ODI squad, she has not yet made her debut in any format of international cricket. However, in the Women's Premier League, Jintimani has featured in 13 matches and bowled across 6 innings, managing to pick up a single wicket at an average of 58. The team management will now hope she can make an impact if given an opportunity during the upcoming fixtures.
