Renuka Singh Thakur out of ODI series against Zimbabwe, Jintimani Kalita added to India squad

The Indian women's team has suffered a setback before the ODI series against Zimbabwe. Fast bowler Renuka Singh Thakur is out of the series. The BCCI announced this itself and also named the player who will replace her.

The BCCI said, "Renuka Singh Thakur is currently practising at the BCCI Centre of Excellence the bowling needed for 50-over matches. For this reason, she has been kept out of the ODI series."

Jintimani Kalita, a 22-year-old fast bowler from Assam, has been included in the squad in Renuka's place. Kalita will play ODIs with the Indian team for the first time.

The three-match T20 series between the two sides has just ended. India won it 3-0. A three-match ODI series will now be played, and the Indian team will try to clean sweep Zimbabwe there as well. The first ODI of the series will be played in Vadodara on Friday.

The series is special for captain Smriti Mandhana. She will lead the team in a series for the first time as full-time ODI captain. She has replaced Harmanpreet Kaur. India made a good start after she became full-time captain in the T20 series, and a similar performance is now expected in the ODIs.

Harmanpreet Kaur's form had been a subject of discussion for a long time and she had been struggling. But she made a superb comeback in the third and final T20 against Zimbabwe, scoring an unbeaten 91 off 41 balls with 10 fours and five sixes.

The Indian squad is: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana (captain), Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Saili Satghare, Kranti Goud, Shree Charani, Yastika Bhatia, Vaishnavi Sharma, Nandini Sharma, Tejal Hasabnis and Jintimani Kalita.

The Zimbabwe squad includes Josephine Nkomo (captain), Chiedza Dhururu (wicketkeeper), Sharne Mayers, Modester Mupachikwa (wicketkeeper), Nyasha Gwanzura, Michelle Mavunga, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Kelis Ndhlovu, Olinder Chare, Kudzai Chigora, Francisca Chipare, Tendai Makusha, Loryn Phiri and Nomvelo Sibanda.