India’s Women's Team Begins Preparations for T20 World Cup with Fitness Camp

A large group of Indian women's cricket probables, excluding those currently participating in the Women's Hundred or the Women's Caribbean Premier League (WCPL), will gather in Bengaluru this week for a fitness and conditioning camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). This camp is a crucial part of their preparation for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to take place from October 3 to 20.

With no international matches lined up for the Indian team before the World Cup, the camp comes at a critical time, even as the India A team is touring Australia for a multi-format series. Players like Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, and Richa Ghosh will miss the initial camp due to their commitments in England for the Hundred, while Jemimah Rodrigues is set to play in the WCPL 2024 for the Trinbago Knight Riders.

The camp will primarily focus on fielding and fitness during the first week, before shifting to more specialised training such as spot bowling and range hitting. Additionally, in response to captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s repeated requests, the BCCI has arranged for a sports psychologist to work with the team. This initiative aims to help players manage pressure and mental fatigue by encouraging them to discuss their challenges openly.

The final squad for the World Cup will reconvene in early September for an intensive skill-based camp as part of their final preparations. India, which has faced several heartbreaking defeats under pressure—most notably in the final against Australia in 2020 and the semi-finals in 2022—will be looking to secure their first World Cup title. Shreyanka Patil, who suffered a finger injury during the Women's Asia Cup last month, is expected to recover fully and join the conditioning camp. There is also cautious optimism surrounding Yastika Bhatia, who continues her rehabilitation for a posterior cruciate ligament injury in her left knee at the NCA.

Bhatia’s absence has prompted the team management to experiment with the No. 3 batting position, trying out players like D Hemalatha and Uma Chetry, who made her debut at the Asia Cup. Bhatia last played a T20I during the tour of Bangladesh in April.

The selectors are inclined towards forming a spin-heavy squad, though uncertainties about the host venue, particularly due to security concerns in Bangladesh, have also highlighted the importance of the pace bowling unit.

Regular pacers Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar have been mainstays, with Arundhati Reddy making a strong case for selection after impressive domestic performances for Kerala and in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) for Delhi Capitals. Other pacers in contention include Meghna Singh, currently on tour in Australia, and Titas Sadhu.

The fast-bowling group will undergo rigorous training under the guidance of Troy Cooley, the former Australian fast bowler and one of the bowling consultants at the NCA. The group is also expected to participate in several intra-squad games in September before departing for the World Cup.