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Why India's Pratika Rawal will miss Lord's WTest against England
09 Jul 2026

Team India opener Pratika Rawal has been ruled out of the historic one-off Women's Test against England at Lord's.

The match, which starts on Friday, will be the first-ever WTest to be played at the iconic venue.

Rawal suffered a knee injury during an India A match earlier this month and required stitches.

Her absence is a major blow for India as she has been one of their most consistent top-order batters.

Priya Punia replaces Rawal in squad
Replacement announcement

Priya Punia has been named as Rawal's replacement in the squad, as confirmed by the Women's Selection Committee.

Punia earned her maiden WTest call-up after impressive performances for India A in a recent one-day series against England A.

She was India's highest run-scorer in the three-match series, amassing 171 runs with scores of 23, 87, and 61.

Setback for India
Career highlights

Rawal's absence from the Lord's WTest is a major setback for India, considering her stellar performances in international cricket.

She made her ODI debut against West Indies in December 2024, and has since become one of the team's most reliable top-order batters.

Rawal bolstered India in their title-winning 2025 Women's ODI World Cup campaign. However, she was ruled out of the knockouts with an ankle and a knee injury.

India's updated squad for the WTest
Fact

India's updated squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Varma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Sree Charani, Yastika Bhatia (wicket-keeper), Nandni Sharma, Harleen Deol, Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare, Sneh Rana, and Priya Punia.