Asian Games: Richa Ghosh back; call-ups for Titas Sadhu, Kanika Ahuja

Wicket-keeper Richa Ghosh and left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad are back as India announced their squad for the Asian Games 2022 on Friday (July 14). Pacer Titas Sadhu and allrounder Kanika Ahuja are the new faces in the Harmanpreet Kaur led 15-member squad.

The 19th Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou, China from September 19 to 28 and the matches will be in the T20I format. The matches will be played at the Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field. India didn't send their squads to 2010 and 2014 Asian Games when cricket was part of the competition.

19-year-old Ghosh isn't part of the ongoing India tour of Bangladesh and although there wasn't any official confirmation, reports suggested that she was dropped on fitness grounds. Gayakwad is an experienced campaigner and has played 55 T20Is for India so far. 

Minnu Mani, who impressed everyone in the T20I series against Bangladesh with her off spin, has retained her place in the squad with Ahuja as the additonal off spin option along with Deepti Sharma. Another off spinner Sneh Rana is part of the stand bys along with Pooja Vastrakar, who is part of the main squad in Bangladesh, Harleen Deol, left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque, and pace-bowling allrounder Kashvee Gautam.

Uncapped Uma Chetry will be the reserve wicket-keeper with Yastika Bhatia, who kept wickets in the T20I leg in Bangladesh, being omitted from the squad. Left-arm spinner Anusha Bareddy has also been retained in the side after making her debut in Bangladesh.



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Ahuja had an impressive Women's Premier League (WPL) with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and was part of the side that won the ACC Women's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Hong Kong. She was the player of the match in the final against Bangladesh. The Punjab allrounder scored 98 runs at a strike rate of 132.43 and also picked up two wickets with her off spin from seven matches.

Delhi Capitals' Sadhu led India's pace attack in the inagural ICC Under-19 Women's World Cup and won the player of the final when they went on to win the trophy. The 18-year-old pacer from Bengal was also part of the Emerging Teams Asia Cup. Although Sadhu is yet to make her WPL debut, the right arm pacer has impressed everyone so far with her performances.

India squad for Asian Games: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Devika Vaidya, Anjali Sarvani, Titas Sadhu, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Minnu Mani, Kanika Ahuja, Uma Chetry (wk), Anusha Bareddy

Standbys: Harleen Deol, Kashvee Gautam, Sneh Rana, Saika Ishaque, Pooja Vastrakar