India Women Squad for Asian Games 2026: Full Team & Changes

India Women Squad for Asian Games 2026: Full Team & Latest Changes

The India Women Squad for Asian Games 2026 has received an important late change just days before the cricket competition begins in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Pratika Rawal has replaced the injured Jemimah Rodrigues, changing the composition of Harmanpreet Kaur’s batting unit ahead of India’s gold-medal defence. The latest replacement was reported on September 9–10 after Jemimah had already been ruled out by the BCCI with a high-grade right hamstring tear.

India will once again be led by Harmanpreet Kaur, with Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain. The squad combines experienced internationals such as Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh and Renuka Thakur with emerging players who could have significant roles in Japan.

Unlike the men’s tournament, the women’s competition does not begin with a preliminary group points table. India enter directly into the knockout draw and will face Japan on September 18. The official Aichi-Nagoya 2026 schedule confirms that India vs Japan is the fourth women’s match of the competition.

India Women Squad for Asian Games 2026 – Updated Team

The BCCI originally announced India’s 15-player Asian Games squad on June 30. Jemimah Rodrigues was included in that team, while Shreyanka Patil’s selection was subject to fitness clearance.

The latest squad reported after the injury changes is:

This is the latest 15-player combination reported following Pratika Rawal’s Asian Games call-up.

Jemimah Rodrigues Out, Pratika Rawal Comes In

The biggest story surrounding the India Women Squad for Asian Games 2026 is the absence of Jemimah Rodrigues.

Jemimah suffered a high-grade right hamstring tear while playing in The Hundred in England on August 3. After assessment at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, she was ruled out of both the Women’s Asia Cup and the Asian Games.

Her absence matters because Jemimah is not simply another squad batter. She has substantial international T20 experience and has been an important middle-order player for India.

Pratika Rawal initially replaced Jemimah in India’s Asia Cup squad. The latest development has now extended that opportunity to the Asian Games, with Rawal included in the team travelling to Japan.

That gives India a different batting problem to solve.

Jemimah is naturally associated with India’s middle order, while Pratika can provide a top-order option. India therefore need to decide whether to change the batting order around the replacement or use Rawal in a role similar to the one she has recently occupied.

Pratika Rawal Gets a Major Opportunity

Pratika’s Asian Games selection comes at an important stage of her international comeback.

She has already returned to India’s setup for the Women’s Asia Cup and has been getting opportunities around the No. 3 position. That experience immediately before the Asian Games could be valuable because there is little time for India to experiment once they reach Japan.

The key question is how effectively she can connect India’s explosive opening pair with the experienced middle order.

With Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma available at the top, India already possess two naturally attacking batters. Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh can provide power later in the innings.

A stable No. 3 could therefore become particularly important.

Rather than expecting Rawal to directly reproduce Jemimah’s game, India may get more value from allowing her to play according to her own strengths.

Harmanpreet Kaur Leads India’s Gold-Medal Defence

Harmanpreet Kaur remains captain of the women’s team, continuing the leadership structure India used when the original Asian Games squad was announced.

Smriti Mandhana is her deputy.

For Harmanpreet, the challenge in Japan is unusual.

India do not have a long group phase in which to establish momentum. Their first game is already a knockout match.

One bad performance could end the title defence immediately.

That places extra importance on India’s experienced core. Harmanpreet, Mandhana and Deepti Sharma have played enough high-pressure international cricket to understand how quickly a short T20 knockout tournament can change.

Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma Give India an Explosive Start

The Mandhana-Shafali combination remains one of the major strengths of this squad.

Mandhana offers left-handed stroke play and considerable international experience, while Shafali can put immediate pressure on an opposition attack.

Their partnership becomes even more significant following Jemimah’s withdrawal.

If the opening pair establishes a strong platform, India can protect the reshaped middle order. If early wickets fall, however, Pratika, Harmanpreet and the rest of the batting unit may have to absorb more pressure.

India’s batting options can broadly be viewed like this:

This gives India a mixture of aggression and experience rather than a batting lineup built around only one style.

Richa Ghosh and G. Kamalini Provide Wicketkeeping Options

India have selected two wicketkeeper-batters: Richa Ghosh and G. Kamalini.

Richa is the more experienced international option and can also be one of India’s most dangerous hitters later in an innings.

Kamalini adds depth and gives the team management another wicketkeeping option. Her inclusion in the original Asian Games squad was one of the changes from India’s T20 World Cup group, according to the ICC.

Having two keepers is useful in a tournament, but Richa’s batting role means her value goes well beyond wicketkeeping.

If India need rapid scoring during the final overs, she could become one of the key players in their medal campaign.

Deepti Sharma Gives India Crucial Balance

If there is one player who helps connect India’s batting and bowling departments, it is Deepti Sharma.

Her all-round ability gives Harmanpreet flexibility when constructing the XI. India can use Deepti as a frontline spin option without significantly shortening the batting order.

That becomes particularly valuable in T20 cricket.

Alongside Deepti, India have several different spin options available, including Radha Yadav, Sree Charani and Prema Rawat.

India Women’s Spin Options

The number of spin options means India do not necessarily have to select the same bowling combination in every knockout game.

Conditions and opposition matchups should influence the final XI.

Renuka Thakur and Kranti Gaud Lead the Pace Options

India’s pace department includes Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud and Arundhati Reddy, with Nandni Sharma adding another bowling option.

Renuka’s experience makes her particularly important with the new ball.

Kranti provides another specialist pace option, while Arundhati’s ability to contribute in more than one department can help India balance the XI.

The bowling unit therefore gives Harmanpreet several possible combinations.

India could lean more heavily on spin or retain multiple seam options depending on the surface and opponent.

What Happened to Shreyanka Patil?

This is an important point because readers may notice a difference between the original squad and the latest reported team.

When the BCCI announced the Asian Games squad on June 30, Shreyanka Patil was included subject to fitness clearance.

The latest 15-player squad reported after the Jemimah-Pratika change instead lists Prema Rawat among India’s players and does not list Shreyanka.

For TeamStats.in, this distinction is worth keeping clear rather than presenting the June squad as though nothing has changed.

The squad should also continue to be monitored until India’s opening match in case the BCCI announces another official fitness-related update.

India Women’s Asian Games 2026 First Match

India begin their campaign against Japan on September 18, 2026.

According to the official Asian Games cricket schedule, the match starts at 2:00 PM Japan Standard Time, which is 10:30 AM IST.

Readers looking for every match can use our Asian Games Cricket Schedule 2026 page, where the complete men’s and women’s fixture list can be followed.

India’s Route to the Asian Games 2026 Final

The women’s tournament has only eight participating teams: India, Japan, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

The opening matchups are:

The official bracket gives India a very clear route.

If India beat Japan, they advance to the September 20 semi-final against the winner of Bangladesh vs China. That semi-final begins at 2:00 PM JST.

Win again, and India reach the gold-medal match on September 22 at 2:00 PM JST.

So India’s path to successfully defending their title is simple:

Japan → Semi-final → Gold-medal match

Simple on paper, but unforgiving in practice.

There is no league-stage defeat from which to recover.

Why India Enter as Defending Champions

India arrive in Japan as the defending women’s Asian Games cricket champions.

The team won gold at the previous Asian Games, and the BCCI specifically highlighted that achievement when announcing the 2026 squad.

That history makes India one of the most closely watched teams in the women’s competition.

However, defending the title with a changed batting lineup presents a new challenge.

Jemimah’s injury removes an experienced player, while Pratika’s inclusion creates an opportunity for a relatively newer member of the T20 setup.

The strength of this squad is that India still have substantial experience elsewhere.

Mandhana, Harmanpreet, Deepti, Shafali, Richa and Renuka give the team a strong core around which newer players can operate.

India Women’s Biggest Strengths at Asian Games 2026

The India Women Squad for Asian Games 2026 looks particularly strong in three areas.

First is the top order. Mandhana and Shafali can change a T20 match rapidly.

Second is all-round balance. Deepti and other multi-skilled players allow India to strengthen one department without completely sacrificing another.

Third is spin depth. Harmanpreet has multiple slow-bowling combinations available if conditions favour spin.

The biggest uncertainty is the reshaped batting order following Jemimah’s injury.

How effectively Pratika Rawal settles into that structure could become one of India’s most important storylines in Japan.

Can India Women Win Asian Games Gold Again?

India have enough quality to mount a serious title defence.

Their route is also short: beat Japan, win the semi-final and win the final.

But that format removes much of the safety that normally comes with being tournament favourites.

A stronger squad does not guarantee a medal in a three-game knockout run.

Japan will have home conditions for India’s opening match, while the potential semi-final against Bangladesh or China presents another immediate knockout challenge. Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the other half of the draw could then potentially await in the medal match.

India’s experience gives them an advantage, but execution on the day will decide whether they can convert that advantage into another gold medal.

India Women Squad for Asian Games 2026 FAQs

Who is captain of India Women at the Asian Games 2026?

Harmanpreet Kaur is India’s captain, while Smriti Mandhana is vice-captain.

Is Jemimah Rodrigues playing in the Asian Games 2026?

No. Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out after suffering a high-grade right hamstring tear during The Hundred.

Who replaced Jemimah Rodrigues?

Pratika Rawal has been included in India’s Asian Games squad as Jemimah’s replacement.

When is India Women’s first Asian Games cricket match?

India face Japan on September 18 at 2:00 PM JST (10:30 AM IST).

Who will India face if they beat Japan?

The official bracket places the winner of India vs Japan against the winner of Bangladesh vs China in the September 20 semi-final.

When is the Asian Games women’s cricket final?

The women’s gold-medal match is scheduled for September 22 at 2:00 PM JST, or 10:30 AM IST.

Final Word

The India Women Squad for Asian Games 2026 remains one of the strongest teams in the competition, but the late batting change adds an important new dimension to India’s title defence.

Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana provide experienced leadership, while Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Renuka Thakur and India’s spin options give the team considerable T20 quality.

The headline change is Pratika Rawal replacing the injured Jemimah Rodrigues. How India restructure their top and middle order around that change will be worth watching closely.

India begin against Japan on September 18. From there, just three consecutive knockout victories would be enough to retain the Asian Games gold medal.

For the wider tournament structure, participating nations and medal route, readers can continue with our Asian Games Cricket 2026 guide, while the Asian Games Cricket Teams 2026 page covers every men’s and women’s side competing in Japan.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rajani Kant

Cricket Writer & Editor at TeamStats.in

Rajani Kant is a cricket writer and editor at TeamStats.in, covering cricket statistics, team records, player performances, match results and important developments from international cricket. His focus is on presenting cricket information in a clear, useful and easy-to-understand format.

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