Former India captain Anjum Chopra questions the vice-captaincy decision and squad selections ahead of the Zimbabwe seriesRead on for the full story.
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Team India all-rounder Deepti Sharma (Photo: IANS)
Former India captain Anjum Chopra has questioned the decision to appoint Shafali Verma as India’s T20I vice-captain while handing the ODI role to Deepti SharmaShe called the move “baffling” and also raised concerns over the lack of clarity surrounding the players dropped from the T20I squad for the upcoming series against Zimbabwe.
Smriti Mandhana will begin her full-time captaincy stint during the six-match series, which includes three T20Is and three ODIs from October 16 to 28The T20Is will be played in Raipur, followed by the ODIs in VadodaraThe series will be the first bilateral women’s series between India and Zimbabwe.
Anjum Chopra questions Deepti Sharma’s role
Chopra believes Deepti’s performances across formats deserved greater recognition, especially when India were deciding on the vice-captaincy roles.
“It’s baffling, simply because are you trying to give an indication to Deepti Sharma that she can be replaced or doesn’t fit in the T20I team? She is one of the top all-rounders in world cricketIs that the message you are giving?
“The Indian team had to be very careful in choosing a vice-captain, especially when transitioning to a new captain across all formatsGiving it to Shafali – it’s not that you can’t give it to her, you can give it to anybodyBut if you’re making Deepti Sharma the vice-captain in the one-day format, not giving her T20I vice-captaincy is surprising.”
She added that the decision could raise questions about Deepti’s place in India’s T20I playing XIChopra also said Jemimah Rodrigues’ absence due to a hamstring injury should not have affected the discussion around Deepti’s experience and contribution.
Questions over Shreyanka Patil’s omission
India have made several changes to their T20I squad, with Niki Prasad and Jintimani Kalita receiving maiden senior call-upsMinnu Mani and Anushka Sharma have also returned, while Shreyanka Patil, Renuka Singh Thakur, Radha Yadav and Bharti Fulmali have been left out.
Chopra welcomed the new additions but questioned why Shreyanka’s omission had not been explained.
“What surprises me is why Shreyanka isn’t in the squad.
“Unless she’s carrying an injury, it’s puzzling, especially since she was in the Asian Games squad and played in that final and was around the groupIf she’s injured, that’s one thing, but if not, why isn’t she included? The lack of official communication on why these players were left out is the real issue.”
She also wondered whether Renuka’s absence was related to fitness or suggested a change in the team’s plans.
Zimbabwe series a chance to set the right template
Chopra expects India to have the upper hand against Zimbabwe but believes the series will be important for identifying the team’s core players and approach ahead of bigger challenges.
The ODIs will also carry importance for the ICC Women’s Championship, while India will look to prepare for the ICC Women’s Champions Trophy in February 2027.
“The key is how individual Indian players prepare and the template they want to set in T20sIt’s not just about playing against Zimbabwe, Pakistan, or Sri LankaIt’s about establishing the same template they want to use against South Africa, New Zealand, and EnglandThat is the template they need to practice and believe in, and that will be an interesting thing to watch.”
