Pratika Rawal has replaced Jemimah Rodrigues in India's 15-player squad for the Women's Asia Cup 2026 after Rodrigues was ruled out with a high-grade right hamstring tear, the BCCI confirmed — a change made just days before India's tournament opener against Thailand on August 30.
What Happened to Jemimah Rodrigues
Rodrigues sustained the injury on August 3 while playing for Southern Brave in The Hundred in England — before that injury, she had scored 143 runs in six innings and picked up back-to-back Player of the Match awards. A clinical assessment at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru confirmed a high-grade tear, ruling her out of both the Women's Asia Cup and the Asian Games 2026, where India are defending gold medallists.
The Women's Selection Committee has named Pratika Rawal, originally named among the reserves, as her direct replacement for the Asia Cup.
India's Full 15-Player Squad
- Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain)
- Smriti Mandhana (Vice-Captain)
- Shafali Verma
- Pratika Rawal
- Bharati Fulmali
- Deepti Sharma
- Richa Ghosh (WK)
- G. Kamalini (WK)
- Arundhati Reddy
- Prema Rawat
- Radha Yadav
- Sree Charani
- Renuka Thakur
- Nandini Sharma
- Kranti Gaud
Reserves: Uma Chetry (WK), Vaishnavi Sharma, Sayali Satghare, Minnu Mani.
Why the Change Matters
India go into the Asia Cup as reigning ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 champions and the tournament's most successful side historically, with seven previous Asia Cup titles. Losing a top-order batter of Rodrigues's recent form days before the tournament is a real dent to team depth, even with Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma still leading the batting order. Rawal steps in as an opening batter who has featured in India's ODI setup, giving the top order a like-for-like technical replacement rather than a reshuffle.
What's Next
India open their campaign against Thailand on August 30, play Hong Kong China on September 3, and face Pakistan on September 5 — all group matches in Dubai, with the tournament running August 28 to September 13. Whether Rodrigues is fit in time for any later stage of the tournament, or for the Asian Games in September, has not been given a return timeline by the BCCI medical team.
FAQs
Why is Jemimah Rodrigues out of the Women's Asia Cup 2026?
She sustained a high-grade tear to her right hamstring on August 3, 2026, while playing for Southern Brave in The Hundred in England. A BCCI medical assessment ruled her out of both the Asia Cup and the Asian Games 2026.
Who replaced Jemimah Rodrigues in India's Asia Cup squad?
Pratika Rawal, who was originally named among the reserves, has been confirmed as her direct replacement.
Who is captaining India at the Women's Asia Cup 2026?
Harmanpreet Kaur continues as captain, with Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain.
Is Jemimah Rodrigues also out of the Asian Games 2026?
Yes. The same hamstring injury has ruled her out of India's Asian Games campaign as well, where India are the defending gold medallists.
When does India play its first Women's Asia Cup 2026 match?
India open against Thailand on August 30, 2026, in Dubai.