As the India women’s cricket team gears up for the T20 World Cup 2024, the squad will assemble for a crucial fitness and conditioning camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru later this week. This marks the beginning of their final preparations for the tournament, set to take place from October 3 to 20.
The initial camp will focus on enhancing fielding and fitness levels, with specialized training in spot bowling and range hitting scheduled for later in the week. The BCCI has also engaged a sports psychologist to support the players, responding to captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s requests for mental health resources. The psychologist will help players address challenges, manage pressure, and combat mental fatigue—a key and constant factor in their previous near-misses at the World Cup.
Notably, the first camp will miss several key players with Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, and Richa Ghosh currently competing in England’s The Hundred, while Jemimah Rodrigues is set to feature in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) with the Trinbago Knight Riders later this month.
The Indian team, which has no international fixtures between now and the World Cup, is expected to finalize its World Cup squad by early September. During this period, the squad will undergo a second, more intensive camp focusing on skill-based training. This final run-up to the tournament will be crucial for addressing the team’s previous shortcomings, including their notable defeats in the 2020 final and 2022 semi-final.
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Shreyanka Patil, who suffered a finger injury during the Women’s Asia Cup, is on track for recovery and will participate in the Bengaluru camp. Yastika Bhatia, recovering from a posterior cruciate ligament injury, is also under close observation at the NCA. Bhatia’s absence has led the team to experiment with different players at the no. 3 spot, with Dayalan Hemalatha and Uma Chetry among those tested.
Selectors are leaning towards a spin-heavy squad, though uncertainties surrounding the host venue due to recent unrest in Bangladesh have heightened the focus on the pace attack. Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar have been the frontline pacers, with Arundhati Reddy making a strong case for a regular spot through her performances in recent international fixtures, domestic cricket and the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Meghna Singh and Titas Sadhu are also in contention, with the fast-bowling group set to be refined by former Australian fast bowler Troy Cooley, who is serving as a consultant at the NCA.
The squad will also participate in a series of intra-squad matches in September to fine-tune strategies and combinations before heading to the World Cup. This preparatory phase is pivotal as India aims to secure their first T20 World Cup title and overcome the pressure that has previously hindered their campaign.