The India Women’s cricket team has announced its squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi Nagoya, Japan, with one major change grabbing everyone’s attention. In the biggest selection decision following India’s disappointing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign, G Kamalini Replaces Yastika Bhatia in the 15-member squad.
The India Women’s Asian Games squad 2026 reflects the selectors’ intention to build a more aggressive and dynamic team as India prepares to defend the gold medal it won at the 2023 Asian Games.
G Kamalini Replaces Yastika Bhatia
The decision to drop Yastika Bhatia comes after a difficult T20 World Cup. The wicketkeeper-batter managed only 41 runs in three innings, averaging 13.66 with a strike rate of 117.14.
Throughout the tournament, India struggled to find the right role for Bhatia. She batted in different positions without making a significant impact. In India’s final group stage match against Australia, she did not even get the opportunity to bat after being pushed further down the order.
The latest India Women’s cricket team selection suggests that the management wants players who can score quickly and maintain a higher scoring rate throughout the innings.
Who Is G Kamalini?
Seventeen-year-old Gunalan Kamalini has emerged as one of India’s brightest young talents.
The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter first gained national attention during India’s successful Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup campaign in early 2025, where she finished among the team’s leading run-scorers.
She further impressed while representing Mumbai Indians in the Women’s Premier League, producing several attacking innings against experienced international bowlers.
Kamalini also made her senior T20I debut against Sri Lanka in late 2025, where she showed her versatility by opening the batting.
The decision that G Kamalini replaces Yastika Bhatia highlights India’s growing focus on fearless young cricketers.
Other Changes in the Squad
Apart from the wicketkeeping change, the squad remains largely similar to the World Cup team.
One welcome addition is the return of off spin all-rounder Shreyanka Patil, who missed the T20 World Cup because of an ankle ligament injury. She has been included in the squad, subject to final fitness clearance.
Meanwhile, leg-spinner Prema Rawat has been left out after replacing Patil during the World Cup.
India Women’s Asian Games Squad 2026
The squad includes:
Captain: Harmanpreet Kaur
Vice Captain: Smriti Mandhana
Batters: Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali
Wicketkeepers: Richa Ghosh, G Kamalini
All Rounders: Deepti Sharma, Shreyanka Patil
Fast Bowlers: Renuka Singh, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud
Spinners: Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Nandani Sharma
Looking Ahead
The India Women’s Asian Games Squad 2026 will compete from September 17 to September 22 in Japan, where India will defend its gold medal against teams including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand.
The latest India Women’s cricket team selection shows that the selectors are ready to make bold decisions after the disappointing World Cup campaign. With G Kamalini replaces Yastika Bhatia becoming the biggest talking point, India appears determined to adopt a more attacking T20 approach and prepare a stronger squad for future global tournaments.
