The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced the central contracts for the India Women’s team for the 2024-25 season, listing a total of 16 players across three grades – A, B, and C. While some key players have retained their spots, the exclusion of Harleen Deol, along with five other players, has been the most surprising one.
Harleen Deol’s omission raises eyebrows
One of the most surprising exclusions from the contract list is Harleen, who was expected to retain her contract following notable performances in international cricket and the Women’s Premier League (WPL). The all-rounder had a promising 2023-24 season, including her maiden ODI century against the West Indies in Vadodara and a crucial 89-run knock against Ireland in Rajkot. Despite these performances, Harleen has not been awarded a contract for the upcoming season. Given her versatility as a middle-order batter and part-time leg-spinner, her omission remains a talking point among analysts and fans alike.
BCCI Central Contract list: Who made the cut?
The BCCI has divided the contracted players into three grades, rewarding consistent performers while also bringing in new talent into the mix.
Grade A: The core of Indian women’s cricket
- Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain) – The leader of the Indian women’s team across all formats, known for her explosive batting and leadership.
- Smriti Mandhana (Vice-Captain) – India’s most reliable top-order batter and a proven match-winner.
- Deepti Sharma (All-Rounder) – A key spin-bowling all-rounder who contributes consistently with both bat and ball.
Grade B: The rising stars and match-winners
- Renuka Thakur (Fast Bowler) – India’s most promising pacer, known for her ability to swing the new ball.
- Jemimah Rodrigues (Middle-Order Batter) – A technically sound batter who has been crucial in India’s T20 and ODI squads.
- Richa Ghosh (Wicketkeeper-Batter) – A powerful striker of the ball and India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in the shorter formats.
- Shafali Verma (Opener) – One of India’s most aggressive batters, capable of changing games in the powerplay.
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Grade C: The emerging and utility players
- Yastika Bhatia (Wicketkeeper-Batter)
- Radha Yadav (Left-Arm Spinner)
- Shreyanka Patil (All-Rounder)
- Titas Sadhu (Fast Bowler)
- Arundhati Reddy (Pacer)
- Amanjot Kaur (All-Rounder)
- Uma Chetry (Wicketkeeper-Batter)
- Sneh Rana (Off-Spinner & All-Rounder)
- Pooja Vastrakar (Fast-Bowling All-Rounder)
Players dropped from the contract list
A total of six players have been omitted from the previous year’s contract list, including:
- Harleen Deol (Batter & All-Rounder)
- Rajeshwari Gayakwad (Left-Arm Spinner)
- Meghna Singh (Fast Bowler)
- Devika Vaidya (All-Rounder)
- Sabbineni Meghana (Batter)
- Anjali Sarvani (Pacer)
Gayakwad’s omission is another major talking point, given her experience as a left-arm spinner in both ODIs and T20Is. Meghna and Sarvani, both pacers, have also been left out, signaling a shift in the BCCI’s focus towards younger fast bowlers like Sadhu and Thakur.
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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
