New Delhi, April 15 (NationPress) Anjum Chopra, a former captain of the Indian women's cricket team, expressed her doubts regarding the justification for Anushka Sharma's selection in the upcoming five-match series against South Africa. She emphasized that an India cap is precious and should not be distributed without careful consideration. Chopra also mentioned that left-arm spinner Radha Yadav's inclusion was unsurprising, as she has struggled to secure her position despite multiple chances.

Right-handed bat Anushka showcased a remarkable debut in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) this year, scoring 177 runs in seven matches with an average of 25.28 and a strike rate of 129.19 for Gujarat Giants. Additionally, she contributed 116 runs in five innings at an average of 23.2 and a strike rate of 104.50 in the 'A' team, which clinched the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars title in Bangkok.

"I find no justification for this selection. It's not that Anushka lacks talent—she's demonstrated significant potential during the WPL in her initial matches before suffering an injury. Upon her return, she had the invaluable experience of competing alongside top Australian players like Gardner and Mooney, which she handled excellently," Anjum noted.

"From what I've observed, I'm confident in her abilities. I'm also pleased that the WPL has helped identify several players for future investment, which has translated into the India-A squad for the Emerging Asia Cup, where they emerged victorious," she added.

"While I appreciate the recognition of her talent with this India tour selection, I question its necessity at this stage," Anjum stated in an exclusive interview with IANS.

She further highlighted the importance of preserving the sanctity of an India cap. "If we begin to distribute caps too readily and players are subsequently dropped, it raises questions about their worth and opportunities. An India cap is of immense significance, akin to gold. Those who earn it should embody pride in that achievement. If not, they should feel it reflects their performance. Anushka's relatively new presence in the squad warrants time to adjust and grow into her role. Rushing her could jeopardize her development as a player, and we’ve seen what happened with Vaishnavi Sharma, who was dropped after limited chances," she explained.

Drawing parallels with Vaishnavi and Bharti Fulmali, who also missed T20I opportunities in Australia, Anjum cautioned against the trend of hasty selections. "What’s the plan for Bharti Fulmali? She was selected but not given a chance to play in T20s. If she doesn't get the opportunity in South Africa, will she be considered for the upcoming T20 World Cup?" she queried.

"We already have Bharti Fulmali in the mix, and now Anushka Sharma is positioned behind her. Why create such a scenario? Are we diluting the significance of an India cap? Anushka may be a potential star, but we must critically assess whether this selection was necessary," she added.

Anjum suggested that selectors should be open to traveling with a squad of 14 if a solid 15th player is not available, expressing confusion about the rationale behind current selections. "What’s the objective here? Is it to provide someone with a chance to represent India or merely to fill spots? Are we not already overflowing with passengers in this team? Ultimately, the value of an India cap must remain paramount," she asserted.

Regarding Radha's exclusion, who had a successful tour in England, Anjum contended that the left-arm spinner had not done enough to secure a spot in the playing XI, especially with Sree Charani as the first-choice spinner.

Despite Radha's commendable performance in the WPL 2026, where she scored 114 runs in nine matches and took two wickets, her inclusion lacked justification. During her captaincy of India A in the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars, she scored 75 runs and claimed ten wickets at an average of five runs per over.

In the Senior Women’s Inter Zonal Multi Day Trophy, Radha finished with 224 runs across four innings, including a high score of 108, and took 12 wickets, ranking second in both batting and bowling statistics.

"Given these statistics, Radha has indeed performed well, and I believe she is a talented cricketer. However, when selecting 15 players, if Sree Charani already occupies that position, it's challenging to justify including Radha, especially considering she was initially not part of the squad for the last series," Anjum noted.

"Radha has been part of the Indian setup for a considerable time but has struggled to secure a consistent position. I won't delve into the reasons for this, but her inability to establish herself is evident. Even during the England tour, she was a last-minute addition when Shuchi Upadhyay was injured," she further explained.

"Radha has played in a few World Cup matches, but her performance did not impress enough to guarantee her a place in the playing XI. If she's not in that lineup, her position in the squad is uncertain. It's acceptable if she's there, and if not, that's understandable," Anjum concluded.

She finalized her thoughts by stating that Radha's lack of optimal performance in the T20 format is hindering her selection for T20Is. "If she's not in the playing XI, Sree Charani, who is set to play, should take precedence. If Radha is excluded and Vaishnavi Sharma was initially included but later dropped, why was she selected at all? There was always the option to leave her out. In terms of left-arm spinning, that answers my question—she simply hasn't performed well enough. Yes, she's a competent batter and an excellent fielder, but can she be relied upon to bowl those crucial four overs? If that's uncertain, then her selection comes into question as well," she concluded.