Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out of the ACC Women's Asia Cup 2026 and the Asian Games in Japan after suffering a right hamstring injury on August 3 during her appearance for her side in The Hundred in England. Following her return to India, the BCCI Medical Team conducted a clinical examination at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and confirmed the diagnosis as a high-grade tear, ending her involvement in both tournaments.
The Women's Selection Committee has brought in Pratika Rawal as the replacement, adding her to India's 15-member squad for the Asia Cup. Harmanpreet Kaur will captain the side, with Smriti Mandhana continuing as vice-captain.
The ACC Women's Asia Cup 2026 runs from August 28 to September 13 in the United Arab Emirates, with Dubai International Stadium hosting the matches. This is the tenth edition of the tournament and the sixth to be played in the T20 format. India open their group stage against Thailand on August 30 before a high-profile Group A fixture against Pakistan on September 5.
How serious is Jemimah Rodrigues' hamstring injury?
The injury occurred on August 3 while Rodrigues was on duty in The Hundred in England. On returning to India, she underwent a thorough clinical assessment by the BCCI Medical Team at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, which confirmed a high-grade tear of the right hamstring. That finding was serious enough to rule her out of both the Women's Asia Cup in the UAE and the women's cricket competition at the Asian Games, which is scheduled to run from September 17 to September 24 in Japan. No confirmed return date has been provided at this stage.
What does Pratika Rawal's call-up mean for India's Asia Cup campaign?
Rawal's inclusion fills the batting vacancy left by Rodrigues in what remains an experienced India group. The squad's core leadership is unchanged, with Harmanpreet at the helm and Mandhana as her deputy. India will be looking to go one better than their 2024 campaign, when Sri Lanka defeated them in the final to claim the title and become the defending champions heading into this edition. With the Asian Games following just days after the Asia Cup final on September 13, the UAE tournament also serves as important preparation for the squad ahead of the multi-sport event in Japan.
India Women's full squad for ACC Women's Asia Cup 2026 (Updated)
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, and Pratika Rawal