India enters the World Cup with strong momentum after defeating England in white-ball series and winning the ODI tri-series involving Sri Lanka and South Africa in April. The team will also host Australia for three ODIs as part of their preparation.
The selectors face a crucial decision regarding Shafali Verma's inclusion in the batting lineup. Since her return against England, she has shown mixed form with scores of 3, 47, 31, and 75, followed by underwhelming performances against Australia A scoring 3, 3, and 41.
The current batting order appears settled with Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal opening, supported by Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur in the middle order.
Renuka Thakur's fitness assessment will be another key consideration. The premier seam bowler has been sidelined since March, and her recovery status will be evaluated considering the upcoming World Cup's workload demands.
Richa Ghosh is set to be the primary wicketkeeper, with Yastika Bhatia, who recently scored two fifties against Australia A in Brisbane, as a potential backup.