Renuka Singh Thakur ruled out of one-off Test for workload management

Renuka Singh Thakur ruled out of one-off Test for workload management (Photo by Pankaj Nangia – ECB/ECB via Getty Images)

Ace pacer Renuka Singh Thakur has been ruled out of the upcoming one-off Test against Australia Women, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed. Meanwhile, pace-bowling all-rounder Kashvee Gautam, who played the white-ball leg of the ongoing tour has been named as Renuka’s replacement for the Test, which will be played at the W.A.C.A. Ground in Perth from Thursday, March 06.

The team management wants to hand Renuka a break for her non-stop availability with the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side, which also helps to keep her workload in check. Additionally, the initiative will also allow her to have ample rest and avoid any injury ahead of the all-important Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, which begins in June. Apart from her, the Indians have Amanjot Kaur and Kranti Goud as other pace options.

“To better manage her workload, Renuka has been advised rest and will be unavailable for selection for the pink-ball Test. The BCCI Medical Team will be closely monitoring Renuka’s fitness progress. The Women’s Selection Committee has named Kashvee Gautam as her replacement. Kashvee was also part of the ODI squad in the ongoing multi-format series,” the BCCI conveyed on Tuesday, March 03.

The upcoming game will be a day-night affair and will be a pink-ball encounter. The game follows the white-ball leg of the tour, where the visitors clinched the three T20Is with a 2-1 margin. On the other hand, the Aussies bounced back and whitewashed Harmanpreet & Co. in the ODIs to make things interesting. The winner of the Perth Test will also be walking away with a tour win.

India Women’s updated squad for one-off Test vs Australia, 2026

Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Uma Chetry, Harleen Deol, Kranti Goud, Richa Ghosh, Amanjot Kaur, Pratika Rawal, Sneh Rana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Sayali Satghare, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Vaishnavi Sharma, and Kashvee Gautam.

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