Huge blow to India as Jemimah Rodrigues ruled out of Asian Games and Asia Cup, Pratika Rawal announced replacement

Team India faces a major blow ahead of two marquee continental tournaments, as star batter Jemimah Rodrigues has been officially ruled out of both the Women's Asia Cup 2026 and the 2026 Asian Games. The BCCI confirmed her absence following an injury she picked up on August 3 while competing in England's The Hundred tournament.

Jemimah Rodrigues to miss Asia Cup and Asian Games

After undergoing detailed clinical evaluations at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, medical specialists confirmed that Rodrigues suffered a severe, high-grade right hamstring tear. The extent of the damage leaves her unable to recover in time for India's upcoming campaigns in the UAE for the Asia Cup and Japan for the Asian Games.

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Rodrigues' absence creates a huge void in India's white-ball strategy, where her knack for anchoring the innings while elevating the scoring rate has been crucial. With a congested schedule ahead, the decision-makers now face the immediate challenge of restructuring their batting lineup to compensate for her missing experience.

Pratika Rawal walks in as replacement

To fill the void in the batting order, the Women’s Selection Committee has named Pratika Rawal to replace Rodrigues in the squad for the Asia Cup.

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Pratika Rawal’s entry into the squad provides useful top-order versatility to a setup spearheaded by captain Harmanpreet Kaur and deputy Smriti Mandhana. The 15-player contingency features a deep batting lineup with Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, and Bharti Fulmali. Beyond her role with the bat, Ghosh shares wicketkeeping duties alongside G. Kamalini, while the bowling arsenal is built around Renuka Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Nandni Sharma, and Kranti Gaud.

Coming less than a month before competition begins, this fitness setback throws a major wrench into India's tactical planning. As the squad prepares for the Asia Cup, the immediate challenge lies in recalibrating the middle order, offering Rawal a massive window of opportunity to cement her spot on the international stage.

India’s updated Asia Cup squad:

Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), G. Kamalini (WK), Arundhati Reddy, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Nandni Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Pratika Rawal

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