Former India women's captain Anjum Chopra on Friday, 9 October 2026 described the decision to assign the T20I vice-captaincy to Shafali Verma and the ODI vice-captaincy to Deepti Sharma as 'baffling,' arguing it sends a troubling signal about Deepti's standing in the shortest format. The remarks come ahead of India's landmark bilateral women's series against Zimbabwe, which gets underway on 16 October under newly appointed full-time captain Smriti Mandhana.

The Vice-Captaincy Question

'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 cricket. Is that the message you are giving?' Anjum said in an exclusive conversation.

Anjum argued that Deepti Sharma's consistent match-winning contributions across both formats — with bat and ball — made her the natural choice for a vice-captaincy role in all white-ball cricket, not just ODIs. 'Forget seniority based purely on how well she has performed for you across all formats, and not giving her that role suggests that Deepti Sharma might not even feature in the T20I playing eleven in the near future,' she added, though she acknowledged the series against Zimbabwe could be used to road-test Shafali in the leadership role.

Series Context and Schedule

The India vs Zimbabwe series marks the first-ever bilateral women's contest between the two nations. It comprises three T20Is in Raipur followed by three ODIs in Vadodara, running from 16 to 28 October. For Mandhana, it is the beginning of a full-time captaincy tenure that had been widely anticipated after India's recent leadership transitions.

Zimbabwe arrive having just hosted the West Indies, losing the T20I series 3-0 and the ODI series 2-1, though they did claim one ODI victory by successfully chasing after West Indies collapsed for 139. Anjum does not expect Zimbabwe to pose a major challenge to a higher-ranked India side, but stressed the importance of the series as a platform to build templates for bigger contests ahead.

T20I Squad Changes and the Omission Debate

The T20I squad features notable changes. Niki Prasad and Jintimani Kalita have earned maiden senior T20I call-ups, while Minnu Mani and Anushka Sharma have returned to the fold — all four having recently featured in the India A multi-format series against Australia A. However, Bharti Fulmali, Shreyanka Patil, Renuka Singh Thakur, and Radha Yadav — all members of the Asian Games gold-medal-winning squad — have been left out.

Anjum welcomed the inclusion of the four newcomers but questioned the lack of official communication around the exclusions. '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. The lack of official communication on why these players were left out is the real issue,' she said.

On Radha Yadav, Anjum suggested the selectors may have moved on: 'They clearly see Sree Charani as the way forward, which also explains why Vaishnavi Sharma is in the ODI squad.'

ODI Squad and the ICC Women's Champions Trophy Pipeline

The ODI squad sees Vaishnavi Sharma, Tejal Hasabnis, Sayali Satghare, and Yastika Bhatia return, while Nandni Sharma receives her first ODI call-up. Anjum noted that Renuka Singh Thakur's absence from the T20I squad raises fresh questions about her match fitness and selection future, cautioning that it is premature to label her unfit given the limited opportunities she has had recently.

Anjum framed the broader series as a critical early step in India's preparation for the ICC Women's Champions Trophy in India in February 2027. 'While the three ODIs against Zimbabwe carry weight for the ICC Women's Championship, the main focus is identifying and settling the core group for the Champions Trophy. We'll start getting those answers once the series kicks off,' she said.

The Bigger Picture: Setting a Template

Beyond individual selections, Anjum emphasised that India must use this series to entrench a tactical identity that can hold up against elite opposition — not just lower-ranked teams. 'It's not just about playing against Zimbabwe, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka. It's about establishing the same template they want to use against South Africa, New Zealand, and England. That is the template they need to practice and believe in,' she said.

With the Champions Trophy less than five months away, how India manages this transitional phase — both in terms of personnel and leadership culture — will be closely watched.