BCCI adds Minnu Mani, Niki Prasad to India A squads for England A tour
Synopsis
A single ankle injury to Shreyanka Patil set off a domino effect: Prema Rawat got a World Cup call-up, and the BCCI had to reshuffle India A's entire white-ball setup hours before the England tour. Minnu Mani and Niki Prasad are the direct beneficiaries — both switched formats to fill the gaps.
Key Takeaways
The BCCI Women's Selection Committee announced squad additions on 19 June for India A's bilateral series against England A .
Minnu Mani (off-spinner) has been added to the India A ODI squad ; Niki Prasad (all-rounder) to the India A T20 squad .
The changes follow Shreyanka Patil's ankle injury on 17 June and Prema Rawat's subsequent elevation to the senior ICC Women's T20 World Cup squad.
Anushka Sharma leads the T20 side; Harleen Deol captains the ODI squad.
India A play three T20Is from 20 June and three ODIs from 1 July in England.
The BCCI Women's Selection Committee on Friday, 19 June announced additions to the India A squads for the upcoming bilateral series against England A, with Minnu Mani drafted into the One-Day setup and Niki Prasad added to the T20 squad. The changes were triggered by a cascading reshuffle following the elevation of leg-spinner Prema Rawat to the senior national team for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup.
What Triggered the Changes
The reshuffle originated when Shreyanka Patil was ruled out of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup due to an ankle injury sustained during the match against the Netherlands on 17 June. Prema Rawat was elevated as Shreyanka's replacement in the senior squad, creating vacancies in both India A white-ball sides that the selectors moved swiftly to fill.
Initially, Niki Prasad had been named only in the One-Day squad, while Minnu Mani was part of the T20 setup. The committee effectively swapped their primary formats to plug the gaps left by Rawat's departure.
What the BCCI Said
'The Women's Selection Committee has made the following additions to the India A squads for the upcoming series against England A: Niki Prasad has been added to the India A T20 squad. Minnu Mani has been added to the India A One-Day squad,' the BCCI said in an official statement on Friday.
Updated Squad Leadership
Anushka Sharma will captain the India A T20 side, with Vrinda Dinesh serving as her deputy. The One-Day squad will be led by the experienced Harleen Deol, with Pratika Rawal as vice-captain.
Other capped players in the combined India A set-up include Tejal Hasabnis, G. Kamalini, Priya Punia, Tanuja Kanwar, Sayali Satghare, Simran Bahadur, and Saima Thakor, alongside uncapped prospects Tanisha Singh, Jintimani Kalita, and Deeya Yadav.
Tour Schedule and Full Squads
India A's England tour opens with three T20Is beginning 20 June, followed by three ODIs from 1 July.
Updated India A T20 squad vs England A: Anushka Sharma (C), Vrinda Dinesh (VC), G Kamalini (WK), Uma Chetry, Vaishnavi Sharma, Purvaja Verlekar, Jintimani Kalita, Saima Thakor, Simran Bahadur, Shweta Sehrawat, Deeya Yadav, Minnu Mani, Shabnam Shakil, Tanuja Kanwer, Niki Prasad.
Updated India A ODI squad vs England A: Harleen Deol (C), Pratika Rawal (VC), Priya Punia, Tanisha Singh, G Kamalini (WK), Uma Chetry (WK), Tejal Hasabnis, Niki Prasad, Tanuja Kanwer, Vaishnavi Sharma, Shabnam Shakil, Sayali Satghare, Jintimani Kalita, Saima Thakor, Minnu Mani.
The India A tour serves as a key development pipeline, and with the senior side deep in World Cup action, the England series offers fringe players a critical window to press their claims for senior selection.
Point of View
But the fact that both were already in the India A setup in different formats before being reassigned suggests the selectors are working with a limited pool. The England A series now carries extra weight: it is both a development exercise and an urgent audition for players who may be one senior injury away from a World Cup call.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the BCCI change the India A squads for the England A tour?
The changes were triggered by Shreyanka Patil's ankle injury during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup match against the Netherlands on 17 June, which led to Prema Rawat being called up to the senior squad. With Rawat no longer available for India A, the selection committee added Minnu Mani to the ODI squad and Niki Prasad to the T20 squad to fill the vacancies.
What are Minnu Mani and Niki Prasad's roles in the India A squads?
Minnu Mani, an off-spinner, has been added to the India A One-Day squad, while Niki Prasad, an all-rounder, has been included in the India A T20 squad. Both players were already part of the original India A setup but in different formats before the reshuffle.
Who will captain the India A sides against England A?
Anushka Sharma will captain the India A T20 side, with Vrinda Dinesh as vice-captain. Harleen Deol will lead the ODI squad, with Pratika Rawal serving as her deputy.
When does India A's tour of England begin?
India A's tour of England begins with three T20 Internationals starting 20 June, followed by three One-Day Internationals from 1 July.
What happened to Shreyanka Patil at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup?
Shreyanka Patil was ruled out of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup after sustaining an ankle injury during India's group-stage match against the Netherlands on 17 June. Leg-spinner Prema Rawat was named her replacement in the senior squad.
