The India Women’s cricket team are gearing up for the upcoming ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, starting on 30 September 2025. Ahead of the mega event, former India Women’s head coach WV Raman, in an exclusive chat with RevSportz, shared his views on the squad, India’s chances, Shafali Verma’s exclusion, and more.
Thoughts on the squad? Do you think the best possible 15 members have been selected?
First of all, thanks for having me on the show and for your welcome as well. The first impression you get of the squad is that it is good enough to go on and win the World Cup. They have extraordinarily strong batters, and the batting line-up is really deep.
You have very good spinners who are all-rounders as well. And there are also a few all-rounders who are medium pacers. Yes, if you were to be particular about things, you might say there is perhaps a little scarcity in terms of raw fast-bowling talent.
But I think Kranti Gaud, Amanjot Kaur and Arundhati Reddy are crafty. That is what it is all about. It is not about raw pace alone.
It is also about out-thinking the batter and bowling according to the demands of the situation. So, all in all, this is a very good squad for this World Cup. And quite obviously, this tournament is going to be very interesting because of the new format as well.
Shafali Verma’s non-selection. What do you make of that decision?
See, it is not all about X should have been there or Y is in the side. I think Shafali Verma has lost out to (Pratika) Rawal, who has done extraordinarily well since being drafted into the side. The consistency she has shown and the chemistry between Smriti (Mandhana) and Rawal as an opening pair has made the selectors go with that combination.
Yes, Shafali Verma is definitely a match-winner. I still maintain that.
There are a couple of areas they perhaps expect her to improve. We all know there has been some talk about her having to work on a few aspects of her cricket. I am sure she will do it because she is smart and constantly thinking about her game.
There is no doubt in my mind this setback, if it can be called that, will make her comeback stronger. That is what international sport is all about. And it is also good that there is so much talent available.
There are many girls stepping in and performing at international level. She is unlucky, but Shafali Verma is young enough. She will make a comeback, and I am confident she will contribute immensely to India winning the World Cup in the future.
How important will the opening partnership of Smriti and Pratika be going into this World Cup?
Rawal and Mandhana are fantastic. Both have been in good nick and they combine well. Smriti Mandhana has been in great form over the last couple of years and has added a lot more to her batting.
She has also improved her leg-side play, which has helped her score consistently. If these two continue their form, they will set the platform for India’s strong middle order.
You have Jemimah, who has evolved every season. You have Harmanpreet Kaur, a proven match-winner. Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma – the batting never ends. If I missed anyone, it is only because I rattled off names quickly.
Openers are always important. One of the reasons the Australian team has been so successful is that their openers consistently set the platform for the middle order. Pratika and Smriti can do that for India.
How do you see Harleen Deol at number three? Or would you prefer Yastika Bhatia in that role?
I think this will be a tactical move because Harleen Deol has done well at No. 3 in recent opportunities. She is also better suited for the 50-over format and is a terrific fielder.
Yastika Bhatia, to be fair, has done nothing wrong. She has adapted to whatever role the team management has given her. She is immensely talented and can also double up as a keeper. These days you must excel in at least two departments.
So, it will be a tough call. Harleen and Yastika are both valuable in two departments. It is a good headache for the management. As I said, it will be a tactical decision depending on what they want from the role.
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Harmanpreet Kaur, the skipper, has had some injury issues in recent years. How do you see her role in this World Cup?
Harmanpreet can take a lot of workloads. She is tough as nails. The one thing I repeatedly told her was to calm down a bit, because she is always enthusiastic and wanting to do more.
India winning this World Cup would be fantastic for cricket in the country, especially women’s cricket. And Harman has contributed massively in making India a major force in recent years.
She may not have many more opportunities, so it is always better to grab the next one. You are playing at home, and she has been in form recently.
If they win this World Cup, it will be something like what happened to Sachin Tendulkar in 2011. He had contributed so much for so long, and finally got his reward. Harmanpreet has done the same for the women’s side, and it would be terrific if this team goes on to win the Cup.
Can Jemimah Rodrigues be the match-winner at number five?
Interestingly, I always suggested that Jemimah should bat at No. 5 when I was coach. The general view then was that she was not powerful enough with the field spread out.
But my view was different. I always felt she could work the ball around, run hard, and that is what you need in a middle-order batter.
When she batted in the powerplay and could not find the gaps early, she tended to play big shots too soon and get out. That was why I felt No. 5 suited her better.
I am glad it has happened now. She has evolved as a batter, playing in different leagues around the world. She has discovered herself, added more to her batting, and can now employ all gears at No. 5.
Her running between the wickets is excellent, and she has become very street-smart. She has different plans for different situations. India are lucky that this experiment has worked.
Richa Ghosh can be a difference-maker with the bat, but does she still need to work more on her wicket-keeping?
There is nothing wrong with pushing a player to get better. Expectations are high from talented cricketers.
Richa Ghosh is at the top of the tree for raw batting talent. Incidentally, when I first saw her with the gloves, I felt she needed to take up keeping even though she was not doing it then. I encouraged her to keep. It is a tough job.
For someone who had not kept much even at state level, taking it up internationally was a big ask. But she has improved steadily with time. She is not the same as when she started.
One of India’s most celebrated keepers once told me he was not the best when he began either. Time and experience improved him. That is what is happening with Richa.
Whether it is Richa or Smriti, there is nothing wrong in pushing them to contribute more. That is how teams improve – by raising the bar every time they take the field.
Amanjot Kaur has been named despite injury concerns. How important is she, and should she play the Australia series before the World Cup?
If the team management believes Amanjot Kaur is a crucial player, give her as much rest as possible. Do not even play her against Australia. Let her build up in the nets and be fresh for the World Cup.
She has a terrific attitude and will not just be a passenger. She will contribute. And decisions should not be made just to prove a point to critics.
Yes, if she goes straight into the World Cup and fails in the first game, questions will be asked. But decision-making requires courage, and that is what brings results.
Same approach for Renuka Singh Thakur, who has not played competitive cricket since the WPL?
Renuka must not let the noise get to her. There has been talk about her lack of wickets with the new ball, but she is still good enough to trouble the best batters. She should back herself.
Her most important role would be to bowl long spells of 7–8 overs. I do not think they should split her up or save her for the end. Managing her spells is key to getting the best out of her. Few can match her willingness to contribute.
How impressed are you with Kranti Gaud, the young pacer?
Kranti has already shown what she can do. It is all about confidence. She has gained that in the last series. As long as she keeps her confidence high, she will keep delivering.
Spin department will be pivotal for India. What are your thoughts?
We have fabulous all-rounders in spin. Deepti Sharma is a given. Sneha Jana is another terrier of a fighter, a fantastic cricketer. Radha Yadav is very talented in all three departments.
The team management and Radha need better alignment on her role. That will help both her and the team.
We have three terrific spinning all-rounders. Charani, of course, has plenty of promise. It is still an apprenticeship period for her, but she has done well. Staying with the team will help her grow, and she has a bright future.
Do you think India missed out by not picking a leg-spinner?
Yes and no. A leg-spinner is always an attacking option, especially in ODIs, where batters are not attacking all 50 overs. A leg-spinner could have been handy.
But if the selectors felt the available leg-spinners were not ready, then so be it. These are judgment calls. It is unfortunate, but that is how cricket works.
Your prediction for India and your top four?
This is tricky. You would expect Australia to be there. India should as well. They have been consistent in ICC tournaments over the past eight years.
South Africa can be very good too. Sri Lanka are a dark horse. England are in transition. It depends on how they start and adapt to travelling in the subcontinent.
Travelling is not easy – different venues, different food habits, all of this matters. Experienced sides like Australia are better prepared, especially as many of their players have played in the WPL.
So, my top four: Australia, India, South Africa, and England.
Happy with the replacement venue, Navi Mumbai?
Navi Mumbai is not a new or suspect venue. It is a great stadium. The WPL was played there right from the start, along with many other matches. It is an excellent venue.