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News Summary
There is good news for the Indian women's cricket team. Star batsman Pratika Rawal has fully recovered from her injury and has been included in the Indian team for the upcoming ODI series against Australia.
Key Points:
- Return from Injury: Pratika injured her ankle while fielding in a match against Bangladesh during the 2025 Women's World Cup (October).
- Successful Rehab: She completed her rehab at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru and has now been declared fully fit to return to the field.
- Bright Future: Despite her long absence, the BCCI has included her in a central contract, and the UP Warriors have selected her for the WPL 2026.
- Tour and Schedule: The ODI series between India and Australia will begin in Brisbane on February 24, 2026. The teams will then play a Test match in Perth.
Pratika Rawal returns to Indian team: secures spot for ODI series against Australia
Big news has arrived for the Indian women's cricket team. Star batsman Pratika Rawal has returned to international cricket after a long hiatus. The BCCI has confirmed that Rawal will be part of the ODI squad for the upcoming Australia tour.
Injury ruled her out of the World Cup
Pratika Rawal was injured during the 2025 Women's World Cup. She suffered a serious ankle injury while fielding in a match against Bangladesh, forcing her to withdraw from the tournament midway. Shefali Verma was included in the squad before the semi-finals in her place. Pratika has not played any competitive cricket since then.
Completed Rehab at BCCI Centre of Excellence
According to a BCCI press release, Pratika has successfully completed her rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru. She is now fully fit. Significantly, despite her time away from the field, she was also included in the BCCI's central contract list, given her impressive start to her career.
WPL 2026 and Future Challenges
Pratika was included in the UP Warriors squad for the WPL 2026 auction, but she missed the tournament due to injury. Now, she will look to regain her form in the ODIs and the one-off Test match against Australia.
Full Australia tour schedule (IND W vs AUS W 2026 Schedule)
- First ODI: February 24, Brisbane
- Second ODI: Hobart
- Third ODI: Hobart
- One-off Test: Perth
Updated Indian ODI squad for Australia tour
| Position | Player Name |
|---|---|
| Captain | Harmanpreet Kaur |
| Vice-Captain | Smriti Mandhana |
| Batsmen | Shefali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Pratika Rawal |
| All-rounders | Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Amanjot Kaur, Amanjot Kaur |
| Wicketkeepers | Richa Ghosh, Uma Chhetri |
| Bowlers | Renuka Thakur, Shree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Goud, Kashvi Gautam |
