Former India captain Anjum Chopra has questioned the decision to bring Pratika Rawal into India’s T20I squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, saying the opener’s lack of recent T20 cricket and return from injury make the selection difficult to understand.
Pratika was added to the squad as a replacement for Jemimah Rodrigues, who suffered a high-grade right hamstring tear while playing for Southern Brave in The Hundred. The Asia Cup begins in Dubai on August 28.
The call-up will be Pratika’s first to India’s T20I squad, despite her having not played a T20 match since the Challenger Trophy in November 2024. She also missed the 2026 Women’s Premier League after an ankle injury sustained during the 2025 ODI World Cup.
Anjum Chopra questions Pratika’s lack of T20 cricket
Anjum stressed that her concern was not about Pratika’s ability, but about the timing of her selection.
“It’s difficult to believe there was nobody else around that the Indian team could have picked. I am not saying Pratika can’t play T20, but why would you pick someone who has not played T20 in a long time?” Anjum said.
“She is a quality cricketer, but the biggest challenge for me is that she is actually coming back from an injury.”
“I don’t understand why Pratika Rawal has been picked in this T20 team when she is short of competitive match practice since the 2025 World Cup,” Anjum said. “It’s quite surprising to see this selection.”
Pratika’s recent competitive cricket has largely come in the 50-over format. She was set to play for Warwickshire in England before the latest selection, while her last T20 appearance came nearly two years ago.
Anjum also questioned where Pratika fits into India’s batting order, particularly with Jemimah’s absence creating a vacancy at No. 3.
“If she isn’t batting at number three, will she be batting lower down the order? If so, why is she in this team?” she said.
The former captain pointed to several players who have been involved in India’s recent T20 setup or emerging teams, including Anushka Sharma, Raghvi Bist and Vrinda Dinesh, as alternatives who could have been considered.
‘This is not the right timing’: Anjum on Pratika’s return
Anjum also questioned whether Pratika should be immediately pushed into the playing XI after an injury-disrupted period.
“Pratika Rawal could turn out to be the best T20 cricketer India has ever seen. Time will tell, but this is not the right timing,” Anjum said.
Instead, she suggested India could consider moving Deepti Sharma to No. 3 or promoting Richa Ghosh, while also using the Asia Cup to assess players who have been part of India A or emerging squads.
“If you need someone at number three, why not promote Deepti Sharma? With a left-hander in Smriti and a right-hander in Shafali opening, having Deepti at three balances the order,” she said.
Anjum raises bigger questions over India’s T20I pipeline
Anjum’s concern extends beyond one selection. She believes India’s frequent rotation of players over the past two years has yet to translate into a clearly defined T20I pipeline.
“It’s baffling to think that after rotating so many players over the last 24 months, none of those players can find a place in the main Indian team today, even on the bench. You start questioning the process,” she said.
The former India captain also raised concerns over the timing of the Asian Games squad announcement, particularly its impact on players who had just returned from the T20 World Cup.
She cited Yastika Bhatia, who was omitted from the squads for the Asia Cup and Asian Games despite returning to form with a Test century at Lord’s, as an example of the uncertainty faced by players competing for places.
Anjum said such decisions could affect the confidence of players during an important stretch of the international calendar.
With the Asia Cup and Asian Games both ahead, she believes India has an opportunity to develop their next group of T20 players, but that opportunity needs to be backed by a clearer long-term selection strategy.