Shafali Verma dropped as India announces team for Australia tour

Explosive top-order batter Shafali Verma was dropped as India announced a 16-member women's team for the three-match ODI series in Australia.

The batter from Haryana is not part of the Indian team after a string of poor performances in the past year and the selectors seem to be disappointed about her recent form.

Shafali has scored just 108 runs in six matches this year with 33 being the highest.

She was dropped in December last year from the team midway during the home ODI series against Australia on the basis of her poor run, before making a comeback against South Africa in June this year in Bengaluru.

Among others, Uma Chetry, Dayalan Hemalatha, Shreyanka Patil, and Sayali Satghare- were also left out.

Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh, Minnu Mani, Titas Sadhu, and Priya Punia are the five players who did not face New Zealand but were named in the team for the Australia series.

The first two ODIs will be played at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane on December 5 and 8 before the action shifts to WACA Ground, Perth on December 11 for the final match of the series, which is a part of the ICC Women’s Championship.

India’s squad for three-match ODI series: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Priya Punia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Yastika Bhatia (WK), Richa Ghosh (WK), Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Radha Yadav, Titas Sadhu, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Saima Thakor.