CRICKET POLL

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and pacer Renuka Thakur have been rested for India's upcoming three-match ODI home series against Ireland. Shafali Verma, who had been dropped since the Australia tour in early December, continues to be on the sidelines, while Pooja Vastrakar - missing in action since India's group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup last year - is still undergoing rehab.

Squad: Smriti Mandhana (C), Deepti Sharma (VC), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Uma Chetry (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Tanuja Kanwer, Titas Sadhu, Saima Thakor, Sayali Satghare

The 15-member squad will be led by Smriti Mandhana in Harmanpreet's absence, with ace allrounder Deepti Sharma promoted as her deputy for the series. Harmanpreet had missed two games of the T20I leg of West Indies' white-ball tour of India after picking up a knee niggle on-field in the series opener. With India's qualification for the 2025 ODI World Cup already secured by the virtue of being hosts, the Indian skipper has been afforded some much-needed rest as she played through the World Cup in UAE with a shoulder niggle after sustaining a blow to her neck on the eve of the tournament.

Meanwhile, Tejal Hasabnis makes a comeback after being dropped since her memorable debut in Ahmedabad against New Zealand last October. Arundhati Reddy, who was inexplicably dropped after the Australia tour, also remains on the sidelines. Radha Yadav, who hasn't featured in any of the ODI assignments since Ahmedabad despite being in the squad, has now been axed.

The selectors have recalled Raghvi Bisht and Sayali Satghare. Bisht recently made her T20I debut against the West Indies, while Mumbai pacer Satghare was a part of the squad during New Zealand's visit but failed to get a game.

After making 134 runs in three innings in her ODI debut series, in Vadodara, Pratika Rawal has held on to her spot with most of the other squad consistent with the most-recent selections.

India are currently placed third in the ICC Women's ODI Championship 2022-25 standings with three games in hand, and will eye a second spot finish after Australia already claimed the trophy with their series win in New Zealand last month. Ireland, on the other hand, were debutants in this IWC cycle and are currently placed last in the 10-team table with just three wins and eight points overall after seven concluded series.

The three ODIs will take place at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on January 10, 12 and 15.