Injured Pratika Rawal ruled out of Lord’s Test: With a knee injury, opening batter Pratika Rawal has been ruled out of India’s women’s cricket team after the loss to England at Lord’s as they prepare for their landmark one-off Test. The injury comes at a particularly important juncture as India gears up to play its first women’s Test on the hallowed turf of Lord’s Cricket Ground, otherwise known as the ‘Home of Cricket’.
Rawal hurt his ankle while playing for India A against England in Taunton during the second One-Day match. Opener Tash Farrant, who is among the best players of her generation, sustained a “deep cut” near her knee whilst on-fielding for head coach Amol Muzumdar, who said it was serious enough in context to have stitches. The selectors ruled her out of the contenders after medical assessments were carried out, as although the team hoped for a quick turnaround on her injury, she would not be fit enough to take up her place in time for the start of the Lord’s Test.
The Women’s Selection Committee has issued a call-up to experienced batter Priya Punia as Rawal’s replacement in the squad. India needs a solid batting option at the top of the order, and Punia offers that. This is also an opportunity for her to play in the red-ball format at one of cricket’s biggest stages.
India’s loss of such an impressive financial, given the form in which Rawal is as a player over the past year, is significant. The right-handed opener has been one of their most reliable batters in all three formats, showcasing a remarkable combination of consistency and composure while batting at the top. She also made a mark during India’s recent Test assignments to cement her place in the batting unit.
Unfortunately, the injury happens at a time when the Lord’s Test is billed as a major milestone for women’s cricket. Historically significant, it will be the first women’s Test at the iconic London venue. Both India and England will have spent the lead-up to the one-off match in training, such is its significance on a global scale, and a testament to how far women’s cricket has come.
After that, winning the head coach Muzumdar said he is disappointed to lose Rawal, but they still have the depth in their team. He has backed Punia to take the chance if she gets into the playing XI and praised her recent outings. The management believes that the squad has sufficient experience and quality to bounce back from the setback and put up a strong fight against England.
Priya Punia has been in fine form at the domestic level as well, and her recent performances for India A were commendable, with solid run-scoring and technique against both pace and spin, leading to a maiden Test call-up. Selectors feel she has the temperament needed for the longer form of the game in difficult English conditions.
India will be forced to rejig its openers before the Test. With Rawal unavailable, it will be left to senior players like Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma to take on more responsibility. It is still an experienced batting lineup, but losing a regular opener just before any crucial Test is far from easy.
The Indian camp is focused on creating history at Lord’s despite the setback. The players have talked about the significance of the day and how it gives them a chance to inspire young girls coming through. India’s growing stature as a Test nation would be further bolstered by a commanding performance in the one-off Test.
The countdown to the historic contest is on, and the focus will now turn to India in the aftermath of what looks like a serious blow, given the potential of one of its promising youngsters to replace Priya Punia. The team’s thoughts, meanwhile, will be on whether her replacement can step up as Rawal embarks on a period of rehabilitation and begin India’s Lloyd’s Games campaign to write another memorable chapter in the annals of Lords.
