The 94th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), held on September 28, 2025, in Mumbai, delivered a significant development for Indian women’s cricket with the announcement of a brand-new Women’s Selection Committee.
The five-member panel will now be responsible for shaping India’s women’s squad after what will be a crucial phase, with the 13th edition of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 set to begin on September 30.
The newly formed Women’s Selection Committee will be headed by Amita Sharma (Chairperson) and joined by Shyama Dey, Sulakshana Naik, Jaya Sharma, and Sravanthi Naidu. Among them, Amita Sharma, Sulakshana Naik, Jaya Sharma, and Sravanthi Naidu are fresh inductees to the committee. All five selectors bring with them the lived experience of international cricket, having represented India at the highest level.
The decision to hand over selection duties to former players reflects BCCI’s growing emphasis on installing experienced insiders to take charge of strategic cricketing decisions. Amita Sharma, who enjoyed a long international career as an allrounder, now shoulders the responsibility of leading this committee into a World Cup cycle.
Sulakshana Naik, a former wicket keeper-batter; Jaya Sharma, a stylish top-order player; and Sravanthi Naidu, the left-arm spinner, all understand the demands of modern cricket and bring voices that are both contemporary and constructive into the system. Shyama Dey, who continues her role on the panel, adds continuity to the proceedings, creating a blend of fresh perspective and stability.
With a leadership group of former players at the helm of selections, the expectation is for improved talent identification, sharper team combinations, and long-term planning that balances youth with experience.
The India women’s cricket team will feature in the 13th ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, scheduled from September 30 to November 2, across India and Sri Lanka, featuring eight teams. India will open their campaign against familiar rivals Sri Lanka, led by Chamari Athapaththu, at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on September 30 (3 PM IST).
The tournament’s return to India comes after 12 years, the last being hosted in 2013. It will be the fourth time India has hosted the marquee event, after editions in 1978, 1997, and 2013. For all of India’s progress in women’s cricket, the World Cup trophy has remained elusive, though the team came close in 2005 and 2017, finishing runners-up.
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